


The Story of Vault 101

by Aussienick1999



Category: Fallout 3
Genre: Adolescent Sexuality, Angst, F/F, F/M, Forced Marriage, Love, Multi, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-09
Updated: 2016-02-26
Packaged: 2018-05-19 09:52:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 27,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5962978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aussienick1999/pseuds/Aussienick1999
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Since the Great War, the dwellers of Vault 101 had constructed a mere illusion of safety. And now, in 2277, that illusion is about to be shattered.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Whole New Life

The long cave that separated Vault 101 heavy steel blast door from the outside world was cold and dark. The wind from outside gushed in through the cracks in the wooden door behind James. Despite the thick Brahmin-skin long coat he wore, the cold was still biting at his skin. Or maybe it was his imagination. He'd been inside of a Vault only once; back in California, when his parents had brought him to Vault 13, where his family had taken refuge as nuclear fire consumed the rest of the world.

When visiting Vault 13, his parents had told him stories of the Vault Dweller, a man who had left the safety of the Vault to find a new water purification chip, and had returns as a hero of the Wasteland. The story had left it's mark on James, ten years old at the time. Since that time, it had been his desire to make a positive difference on a world left in ruins by the Great War.

And he'd come so close! His thoughts drifted back to Project Purity, and another wave of bitterness swept over him. He'd seen their goal in front of his eyes, and in the months before Jake's birth it had been as if he could almost reach out and touch it. And then Catherine had died, and the Brotherhood of Steel had abandoned the project.

James looked down at the bundle in his arms; his six-month-old son, Jake Morgan, slept peacefully within the thick blankets. With Catherine's death, Project Purity had also died. But in the midst it all, Jake had been born. The other scientists had insisted that Project Purity wasn't dead and that James should remain at the lab, but his paternal instinct had won over; he didn't want his only child growing up in a world of suffering and death. When he'd heard that Vault 101 was still functional, he'd wasted no time in leaving the Jefferson Memorial, where the lab of Project Purity had been housed, and making his way across the ruins of Washington D.C.

And now that he was here, standing before the impenetrable door of Vault 101, it was now out of his hands. Everything depended on whoever was in charge of that Vault, and whether James was of any use to him. James, unconsciously holding his breath, let out a sigh. He wasn't a religious man, but he was silently praying.

He stepped forward. There was a security camera above the cog-shaped door. It deviated from its standard side-to-side track and stopped to stare at him. He continued to move to the Vault door, hoping that there was some kind of microphone by the door.

His stomach turned when he saw what in front of the door. Lying on the metal platform at the foot of the door, barely noticeable in the darkness, where skeletons. Decades, if not centuries, of decay had left them a dark brown. One of them was clutching a sign made up of a tree branch and cardboard, it's fingers left over the handle. James leaned over to read it.

_Let us in motherfuckers!_

James sighed. He hoped these people had made a worse case then what he'd be about to make. He looked back up at the security camera, which was  still watching him. Unless it was build with a motion tracker, then someone from inside had to be controlling it. 

"Can you hear me?" he asked it. The camera did nothing for a moment, then tilted upward and downward on it's arm; it was nodding. 

"My son, he needs shelter!" James said. "His mother's gone, and I've got nowhere to go. Please! Whatever you need from me, I can give you!" 

The camera was completely still. Not a 'yes', but not a definite 'no' either. He had to keep going.

"I'm a doctor!" he said. "And a scientist! I was trained with technology from a Vault. Whatever you need, I can handle it." 

Nothing. James took it as a hint that he wasn't welcome, and turned away in defeat. There was nothing more for him here. He had to get back to Megaton and see if he could find work. Except nobody in Megaton would have need for a scientist, and they already had a doctor...

The silence of the cave was broken by a shrieking alarm. Had he not been holding Jake in his arms, James would have covered his ears. There was the sound of a machine running on the other side of the Vault door, and he turned around. Had he gotten through to someone?

With a loud screech of metal on metal, the door of Vault 101 slid backward onto a set of treads. Then, it rolled on it's treads to the left and out of site. 

What he saw next was a group of two men dressed in Vault security vests and helmets aiming N99 10mm pistols at him. Between them was a man dressed in a standard Vault jumpsuit, with short grey hair bordering on white with a very thin mustache to match and cold, emotionless eyes. 

Given his posture and the way the man looked at him with suspicion, James could only assume that this was the Overseer. 

"You say you're a doctor," he said to James, his hands behind his back. "Where did you train?"

"In California," James answered, stepping closer to the door. "I grew up in a city called Arroyo. We'd scavenged technology and manuals from Vault 13. That's how I trained."

"A city?" the Overseer muttered while frowning, which wasn't much different from his resting facial expression. "That's not possible." 

He turned back to James, who stood outside with his heart thumping. "So anything medical-related? Just how trained are you, Mr...?"

"Morgan," James introduced himself. "James Morgan. And yes. Cardiology, pediatrics, psychiatry. Whatever your needs. You'll find I can handle...well, I can handle just about anything."

The Overseer bit his lip and let out a sigh. "Alright. Just remember one thing; we need a doctor, not a deadbeat. Fail to meet my expectations and there will be repercussions. Officers, lower your weapons. Morgan, follow me."

The guards holstered their weapons, but eyed James in distrust as he followed the Overseer (whose name he didn't even know) into the Vault. James let out a breath and observed his surroundings as they walked. He'd heard that some Vault-Tec facilities had been designed differently, and Vault 101 proved it. The wall designs were more complex as opposed to the simple wall panels of Vault 13, and 200 years of age had left them slightly weathered-looking. And the Pip-Boy devices that the Overseer and two Officers wore were newer than the old 2000A model James had owned on the west coast.

Down one flight of stairs from the entrance level was the atrium, the largest room in the Vault that he'd seen so far. A few dwellers, wearing pre-war hairstyles and identical Vault 101 jumpsuits, watched James with a look that he recognized as being of mostly fear, a little bit of curiosity.

They didn't watch for long, because the Overseer turned to the left, and walked up a staircase to the upper level of the atrium. The dwellers watched again as they made their way along the atrium balcony. Jake was still sleeping soundly. Somehow, the alarms, vault door, and conversation with the Overseer had failed to rouse him.

The Overseer office was part of a closed-off section marked as 'Admin' by the sign above the door. They passed through a computer room and passed by a security office and jail cell before making their way into the officer proper. It was an open room with two desks, a separate section with an 'Operations' sign above it. At the back of the room were a few seats with a table, on top of which was a coffee machine and several white ceramic mugs.

A woman was seated at one of the desk, reading over some notes while sipping from one of the mugs. She looked from the Overseer to James, and her look turned from one of suspicious to disbelief.

"Sarah," the Overseer said. "This is James Morgan. He's our new doctor."

The woman nodded in understanding. She glanced at the bundle in James' arms. "So we'll be keeping this a secret?"

The Overseer gave a small nod. "Yes. I have to go inform the rest of the adults. Hopefully, this will be the only generation that knows of this."

James frowned as the Overseer left, disapproving of the apparent cover-up. The woman, Sarah, was frowning too. The guards left, leaving the two of them alone. Her kind-looking face was framed by black hair, most of which was tucked behind her ears. The rest hung in front of them. Her skin was slightly darker than his, either from ethnicity or tanning. 

"I'm sorry about my husbands' demeanor," she said, standing up. "He can be quite...difficult."

She moved closer, and looked down at Jake, and smiled. "Is this your son?"

"Yes," James told her. "His name is Jake. His mother..."

He trailed off, a fresh wave of pain washing over him. Sarah gave a respectful nod.

"I understand. It's terrible for a child to grow up with a parent missing. I'm so glad my daughter still has both her parents."

She looked grim, and James noticed that her eyes were beginning to water. "I uh...I have a...condition. Our last doctor said I only have about two years before..."

She was crying now, and wiped her tears away.

"I'm sorry," was all James could say. "If there's anything I can do, let me know." 

"Professionally or personally?" asked Sarah with a bitter laugh. "Well, there is one thing."

She left James' side and walked over to the door by the coffee machine, beckoning for James to follow. When she pressed the button on the wall and the door slid open, James saw a blue crib inside. He looked down.

Lying in the crib was an infant girl, her dark skin and tufts of black hair matching her mothers'. She look at James with curiosity.

"Amata," Sarah whispered, reaching down and giving the child's cheek a gentle stroke. The girl giggled.

 

"This is what you can do for me James," she said, picking her daughter up. "Make sure my daughter has people in her life other than her father. Alphonse is a good man, but he's...harsh. And God knows there aren't many children in the Vault these days. It'll be good for her to have a friend."

She gave him a grim look. "My husband won't approve. Quite frankly, letting you in was something I'd never thought he'd do. He's going to try and make life difficult for both of you. And the others here won't be much better. But maybe you and Jake can be there for her. And maybe she can be there for your son. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes," said James. "I promise."

He remembers the promise he'd made to Catherine, when they both realized that she would never see their son grow up. He'd promised her that Jake would have a happy life, away from the violence and horror of the outside world. And while he knew the Vault was far from perfect, James also knew that this place was his son's only chance of a normal life. A life where a fistfight would be the most danger he'd be in. A life in which he'd be anxious about talking to girls instead of forced into slavery.

But even James couldn't ignore the danger inside of Vault 101. The harsh rule of Overseer Alphonse Almodovar, and the fear and distrust the brewed among the dwellers he ruled over. And all that fear and distrust would lead to something, and it would shatter the seemingly perfect existence that had been constructed.

But there was hope. James saw it when his son woke up and gave Amata a grin. He saw it when Amata leaned forward and reached out to touch Jake's cheek. Both children laughed, and the adults smiled. There was a real chance at happiness down here, and James swore that the Overseer would never stamp it out. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was a little over two years later that Sarah Almodovar died of her condition. The cancer had left her exhausted in her final days, but she never stopped fighting. 

James gave a tired sigh. Once again, he'd been powerless to stop a wife and mother from dying. The feeling that had hung over him in the days after Catherine's death returned. He wanted to run away and hide from it all. To turn away from the troubles of his now-tiny world. 

But he couldn't turn away. He'd promised Catherine that Jake would grow up without the fear of radiation and sickness hanging over him. He'd promised Sarah that he'd be there for Amata, who'd grown into a bright and cheerful young girl. He had every intention of keeping both promises.

He'd misjudged Alphonse when they'd first met. The man had seemed empty of emotion, seeing the Vault as little more than a machine and it's people as little more than gears. But now James realized that Alphonse did feel something. He just didn't show it.

"I'm sorry, Alphonse," James said quietly, barely able to look the Overseer in the eye. "If means anything, she didn't suffer." 

Alphonse ran a hand through his hair and shook his head, his eyes tearing up. He leaned against the clinic's support beam for a moment, and took a breath.

"You know what to do," he whispered before hurrying out of the room. As he left, James caught the eye of a two-year old girl staring at him from around the clinic doorway.

"Amata," he said quietly, kneeling down to her level. "Come here, sweetheart."

Amata complied and shuffled out from the doorway. "Where's my mommy?"

"She..." James hesitated. How do you tell a two-year-old that their mother was dead? "She's in a better place."

Can I see her?" Amata asked.

"I'm sorry Amata," James whispered, tears falling from his own eyes. "She's gone."

She'd caught onto it. She wasn't stupid; everyone knew that Sarah had been sick for a long time. Sarah herself had told Amata that she wouldn't be around for much longer. The girls' eyes filled with tears, and she began to sob.

Another child stepped out from behind the doorway; Jake. He'd heard everything. He ran over to Amata when he saw her tears, and hugged her. "I'm sorry about your mom. She was nice." 

Amata said nothing, just continued to sob into Jake's shoulder. Jake looked over at his father with inquiring eyes, and James gave him a solemn nod of approval. 

In that moment, he'd never been prouder of his son. Jake always knew how to act. When to be funny, when to be serious. He wasn't like other kids his age. He was special, and so was Amata. He looked over at them, and saw the type of people the world needed more of. People like Jake and Amata. They were the embodiment of good.

"You can let go Jake," Amata whispered.

"No. Not until you're better."

James couldn't help but smile in pride. His son was a good person, and if he got the chance, he'd go on to do great things. 

 


	2. We're Okay

After Sarah's death, James found himself stuck in some sort of limbo. His work on Project Purity hadn't really stopped. With the help of his assistant, Jonas, James had been able to run some small scale tests in the hope of making some progress. 

But it was a pipe dream, James told himself. The Overseer, already disapproving of his use of small water samples for his experiments, would never let that door open. He'd gone to every length necessary to keep James' past a secret to as many people as possible. Not to mention his claims that the outside was irradiated to such a point that survival outside of the Vault was impossible. 

He wasn't about to bring down that narrative by allowing that Vault door to open. And besides, if James left, it would reflect badly on his son. The 'guilt by associating' mentality was strong within the Vault. Sarah had been right about one thing; the Overseer had never gone easy on either of them. 

Somehow, he'd still been able to keep the promises he made. He'd raised his son in a safe environment, kept him safe from the violence and death of the Wasteland, and passed on the values that his parents had raised him by: honesty, integrity, and value for human life. 

But this illusion of safety would soon be shattered. 200 years of isolation had left the Vault understaffed. Despite the Overseer's efforts, it was no secret that a number of apartments in the lower level of the Vault had been left unused for decades. It was no secret that the Maintenance team, which had once supposedly been comprised of ten staff, was now down to Stanley and a Mr Handy robot. And it was obvious to everyone, and impossible to hide, that there was an empty silence that haunted a big portion of the Vault. 

The Vault had been built to last hundreds of years, but the lack of proper management and adequate staff had taken its toll; the life support systems were aging, its water purifier was on the brink of breaking down, and basic necessities such as food and medicine were dwindling.  

But that wasn't even the worst of it. The lack of new genetic material entering the Vault had resulted in the population dropping to a tenth of what it had been in 2077, when the nuclear powers of the world launch their arsenals at each other, reducing the planet to cinders. 

Combined with the fact that the two largest families in the Vault were related by blood, the Vault had two options; allowing inbreeding to consume the Vault or force everyone to breed with an assigned partner. Given that there were only 20 or so genetically viable dwellers left, 12 of whom were underage, there wouldn't be room to choose partners.

James couldn't help but shudder. He'd brought his son to the Vault to have a happy life, not for every aspect of his existence to be dictated by the Overseer, who spent all his time in his office and had probably long forgotten that Vault 101 was a community, not a machine. 

This wasn't what he wanted for his son. When he thought about it, James wondered if maybe they'd both been better off staying on the surface. Maybe he could have joined the Brotherhood as a scientist. God knew they could always use more hands on deck. 

But then he thought about the life Jake had managed to build for himself in the past 17 years. The relationships he'd forged with the dwellers of the Vault, many of whom had accepted him as one of them with eagerness. And most importantly, the close bond he'd built with Amata. Every time he saw the two of them together, all his doubts about coming to the Vault would be pushed to the back of his mind, and he would feel nothing but happiness that Jake had some his age that he could be close to. 

If James had the chance to take back his choice to live in the Vault, he wouldn't be able to. He saw Jake and Amata, and the bond between them. How could he possibly do something to break that? 

* * *

 

Jake felt the wave of exhaustion wash over him as the door to his apartment slid open with a hiss. He thought about taking a shower; he felt filthy after fending off both Wally Mack and his vicious older brother Steve, but instead grabbed a water bottle from the fridge and plopped down onto a dining room chair.  
The water was blissfully cool going down his throat, and he poured a tiny bit into his free hand and rubbed the cold liquid over his sweat-covered face. 

Outside, someone triggered the buzzer to his apartment, and he didn't have to wonder who it was. His father would just let himself in, and there wasn't anyone else who would show up at his place. Jake smiled and pulled himself out of the chair, walking over to the door. There wasn't a flicker of surprise on his face as the door slid open and he greeted the visitor. "Hi, Amata." 

Amata mumbled a greeting and tried to smile, but to Jake it looked more like a grimace. He felt his own smile falter, and whispered, "What is it?" 

Amata shook her head. "I can't say out here." 

Jake nodded and stepped out of the way to let Amata take a seat at the dining table. He offered her a drink, but she shook her head; whatever she'd come to talk to him about was urgent.

"So what's the matter?" he asked her.

Amata sighed, her hands fidgeting like they always did when she was stressed. "I'm not...really sure how to say it."

"I understand, take your time if you want," Jake replied. He looked back down at her hands, and had an urge to take them in his own and comfort her, but he couldn't. For all he knew, she'd just pull away and say something about just being friends before running away. So he sat there and let her think.

"Something...happened today," she finally said. "In the locker room." 

Jake looked at her; her eyes were watering, and she was extremely pale. "Amata, were those girls giving you shit again?" he asked, suddenly sounding more like a brother.

"No, it's..." Amata stopped and buried her face in her hands. Without a second thought, Jake left his seat to go sit next to her, placing an arm around her shoulder. Amata seemed to relax a little, and brought her hands away from her face. "Well...we were changing after P.E class and Christine just...walked into me by accident.." she gulped. "And we were just staring at each other when..." 

She looked up at Jake, and her voice shook. "She kissed me." 

Jake's eyebrows shot up, disappearing into the thick brown hair that hid his forehead. He leaned back, and bit his lip. 

"Just like that?" he asked her, trying to make sense of why Christine would do such a thing. "Just like that," she confirmed. Now that she'd gotten it all out, she seemed more composed. "I'd heard...rumors that Christine was...you know..." 

She began fidgeting in her seat again. "It's just...when she stopped and just stood there grinning, I wanted to kiss her back."

Jake went from confused to concerned at those last words. "Amata, if your father finds out-"

"He won't find out!" she assured him quickly. "It was in the shower area. Nobody saw us." 

That was good news, and Jake's stomach stopped churning slightly. But not entirely. "So does that mean you're...?" 

He trailed off and let her complete the question in her head. He was dreading the answer. But to his surprise, she shook her head. "No. I think it's different than that. I've had...thoughts about girls before, but never anything more than that. There's only one person I've ever felt anything real towards." 

All of a sudden, Jake was paralyzed, unable to do anything except look into Amata's eyes and listen to her next words. 

"And that's you, Jake." 

* * *

 

Jake was completely silent, as if frozen, and Amata suddenly had a terrifying thought; had she just driven her only true friend, and the man she loved, away?

"I can't keep it back anymore," she was saying, everything tumbling out now that she'd gotten the truth off her chest. "Jake, I love you, and there's nobody else in the Vault that I'd want to spend my life with. You've been there for me as friend all my life, and if that's how you want to leave it, then that's okay. I just want to be a part of your life." 

She ducked out from under the arm Jake had placed on her should and made for the door, when she suddenly felt herself being held back by her hand. She looked back; Jake had taken hold of her hand and was now looking at her with a tearful expression. In a small, almost-childlike voice, he said, "Please don't go." 

She complied and sat back down, grateful that he at least hadn't abandoned their friendship. For a moment, they simply sat their staring into each others' eyes. And it was then that he spoke. 

"I love you, Amata." 

As if reading each others' thoughts, they both leaned in closer, and Amata felt Jake's lips press gently against her own. Her body suddenly warmed to the core, and in that moment, being held in Jake's arms while she clung to his jumpsuit, their lips pressed together, she'd never felt safer or more at peace. 

They finally broke apart. Jake was crying, to Amata's astonishment; she couldn't remember ever seeing Jake cry. He was just that good at hiding his emotions. 

"For two years," he whispered. "I've wanted to tell you, but I just couldn't work up the courage to say it. So please just stay with me." 

"I will," she whispered back. "I won't ever leave you." 

* * *

Jake wanted nothing more than to leap and punch the air in joy. Out of absolutely nowhere, he'd finally admitted the truth to the only woman he'd ever loved, and now he was holding her in his arms. Then a terrible thought entered his mind and shattered the perfect moment. 

"If your father finds out-" he began, only to be silence by a kiss from Amata.

 "He won't," she breathed, their foreheads resting together. "He doesn't have to know. And by the time he does, I'll be Overseer, and things down here will change." 

She smiled, and Jake couldn't help but smile back as he admired the beautiful woman she'd become. In appearance and in personality, she was perfect. She was the one he was meant to love. 

"I love you," he repeated. 

"I love you too," she whispered. "And that'll never change, Jake." 

One final time, he leaned in to kiss her, just to make sure he wasn't having a dream, when there was a hissing sound. They jumped apart, half-expecting the Overseer to charge in, and sighed with relief as Jake's father, James looked at them with a look of surprised that then turned into a smile.

"Hello Amata," he said pleasantly. "Would you like to stay for dinner?" 

"Uh..." Amata stammered, looking between him and Jake, the latter of whom merely smiled. "Yeah. That'd be great." 

"Good," James replied. "I'll go out and get dinner in a moment." 

He disappeared inside his room, leaving the two of them alone. 

"Your father won't be happy if you stay the night without telling him," Jake noted, smiling nonetheless. 

"Not if I'm not there tonight," Amata replied, her mouth twitching up in a smile that faded quickly, and she looked mortified. "Sorry, I'm taking this too fast." 

"No, no, it's fine," Jake said hastily. "I'd...I'd love to have you here." 

She looked relieved, and Jake pulled her closer to plant a kiss upon her forehead. 

* * *

 

The bed they shared was only designed for one person, so they both lay in each others' arms. But that was fine to Jake, because they were together. He looked down at Amata, who lay with her head on his chest and an arm reach over him, and couldn't keep the smile off of his face. In that moment, they were together, and that was all that matter.

Jake lay his head back down on the pillow. When he'd arrived home that afternoon, he'd dreaded another day of not being able to tell Amata the truth. Now, he was looking forward to the future, and just glad that he could live it with the girl he loved. 

* * *

 

Amata was still lying there when Jake woke up the next morning. He slowly lifted her sleeping form off of him and lay her back down as he shifted off the bed. As he reached down for his jumpsuit, he felt Amata shift on the bed. Looking up, he found himself staring into her open eyes. Her mouth broke into a wide smile. 

"Good morning," she said quietly, propping herself up on one elbow. "Good sleep?"

  
"The best I've ever had," he whispered, leaning forward. They both closed their eyes as their lips met, and Jake felt the warmth of another human being flow through his body. 

"Guess what," he said when they finally broke apart. 

"What?"

"It's the weekend," he told her.

Amata's smile grew wider. "So we've got a lot of time. Works for me." 

She sat up, and gave a mock pout. "Do we have to get up now?"

Jake grinned and reached over to brush some loose hair out of her face. "Come on, let's not be lazy." 

Pouting again, she pulled herself out of bed and dressed in the jumpsuit she had discarded the previous night, but not before Jake risked a glance her way, admiring her form. Amata caught him looking and held the jumpsuit over her, giving him a mock frown. Jake just grinned in response. 

James was already up when they entered the dining room, and he'd gotten breakfast ready. He left his seat, a few pieces of buttered toast in the napkin he held. 

"Gotta go to the clinic," he said apologetically. "Help yourselves." 

James rolled his eyes. "Welcome to my weekend."

"Well, he is the only doctor down here," Amata pointed out, grabbing the cereal box from the table. 

* * *

 

They devoted most of their morning to studying in the atrium. Jake had been tutoring Amata on everything his father had taught him in his spare time. She'd been struggling with math, particularly algebra. It wasn't that she didn't understand it; Jake had seen her finish some of the work just fine, it was just that math wasn't the most exciting thing in the world. 

As they poured over notes at their table in the atrium, Amata couldn't help but notice the glances people gave them. She frowned; had they been acting differently that morning? Or had word gotten out somehow that she hadn't returned to her own apartment?

It was probably the latter, she decided. Her father could be quite paranoid, and she wouldn't put it past him to have every security guard looking for her in the night. And of course one of those guards, Steve Mack probably, would go and let it slip to someone.

And if Amata hadn't gone home, then where else would she be besides sharing a bed with the only boy her age who she could stand? She shrugged and ignored it. They'd have to be careful though; Amata's father would do his best to hinder their relationship. He'd made it perfectly clear more than once that he wasn't a big fan of Jake Morgan, nor was anyone on the security team other than Officer Gomez.

As if on cue, the man himself walked past, wearing his Vault security vest and baton at his side. He waved at the two of them as he passed. "Morning guys." 

"Morning Gomez," Jake called back, returning the wave. As he disappeared into the lower level, Amata could have sworn Gomez gave them a wink. 

After two hours, with Amata barely able to cram all the things Jake had taught her inside her head, they made their way down to the reactor area, which was thankfully deserted. In a long room off to the proper reactor chamber, hidden away by a reinforced mechanical door, was a shooting gallery James had set up for his son as a tenth birthday present.  Given that security guards and the Overseer were the only ones in the Vault who were authorized to carry weapons, what James and Jake had done would have gotten them both thrown in the jail cell...or worse.

Amata shuddered to think what her father would do, especially now that Jake was reaching adulthood and couldn't pull that 'boys being boys' excuse anymore.

Jake had taken Amata down to the shooting gallery countless times, but it was only now that she realized just how special the place was; it was _their_ space, hidden away from the rest of the Vault. A place that belonged solely to them. 

Jake let Amata have the first turn with his BB gun, which was small enough for him to hide in his jumpsuit. He stood just behind her, making notes here and there about how to position yourself, how to hold the gun, and aim. With his help, her first shot hit the bullseye of the target. 

A small accomplishment, but Amata couldn't keep the triumphant smile off her face. 

 _All Vault 101 dwellers are to report to the atrium immediately,"_ the Overseer's voice suddenly said through the static of the intercom. Amata and Jake exchanged a look; whenever the Overseer decided that there was something important enough to tell the entire Vault in person, it was never good news. 

They stopped briefly to return Jake's BB gun to his apartment, and assembled in the aitrum, standing among the crowd of about 100 people. Her father, Overseer Alphonse Almodovar, stood watching over them all from the upper level of the balcony. He held up his hands for silence, and the crowd complied. Although it was out of fear more than respect, Amata guessed. 

"Citizens of Vault 101," the Overseer projected his voice to the entire atrium. "Many of you are aware that the population of this Vault has dwindled significantly since the Great War. Our Vault closed in 2077 with a population of 756 people, and now is down to all of you.

"It is for this reason that desperate measures must be taken to ensure that this Vault can function for future generations, and the only way for that to happen is for this generation to fullfil its civic duty; procreation." 

The sound of muttering filled the hall. Amata and Jake exchanged a fearful glance; neither said it, but they had a sinking feeling of where this was going. 

"All dwellers aged 16 to 29," her father continued over the noise. "will be required to undergo a medical exam, the results of which will determine the most genetically viable partner for each of you."   
  
The muttering turned into outraged shouting, and the security guards moved in on the crowd, batons raised. Amata felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her. This couldn't be a coincidence, her father must have known something. And now, not only was he trying to take away her life with Jake, but he was going to make her and everyone else have children with people they barely knew. Amata looked around at the crowd, and she felt sick as she noticed Butch DeLoria and his two cronies, Paul and Wally, standing together. The thought of having to open her legs for any of them made her want to throw up. Or worse, she could end up with one of the older men.   
  
Had Jake not been grasping her hand, she might have fainted. She was only 17, and she felt as if her life was over. 

* * *

 

After all the tests were done, the anxiety in the Vault was so thick that Jake though looking the wrong way would start a riot. His days were spent thinking of all the bad ways this could go, not daring to get his hopes up by thinking about the possibility that he and Amata might get lucky. Amata was in an even worse state; her handwriting shook so much that Jake had to write it out for her. Thankfully, their teacher, Mr Brotch, payed no attention to it. He was just as disturbed by everything as they were, and probably would have given them all the day off if he'd been allowed. 

When he was able to be with Amata, he made every second count. Listening to her voice as she read to him, practicing with the BB gun down by the reactor, and the occasion swim that they took in the Vault's pool to clear their heads. Jake tried his best to come to terms with the fact that he and Amata would get separated. But all he felt was anger. Whenever he heard the Overseer's voice, or saw his face looking down at him from his office window, Jake wanted nothing more than to sock him in the face. He'd never liked Alphonse much, but now he hated the man.

On the day that the results were to be announced, Jake pulled Amata aside before they reached the atrium, and pressed his lips against hers in what he was certain would be their last kiss ever. Amata wrapped her arms around his waist, maybe thinking that it would be the last time she would ever be able to do so.

"Whoever you end up with," he saw in a growling voice. "If he hurts you, I'll kick his ass."  
  
Amata said nothing, only returning the kiss, unable to accept that this was really it. They could have gone on like that forever, but eventually they broke apart and turned to the atrium to face reality. As they found their spot among the crowd, they never let go of each other's hand.

Jake's father was standing on the atrium balcony next to the Overseer, who was standing as far away from the former as he could without standing out of sight. Despite the situation, Jake rolled his eyes; the Overseer couldn't have hid his hatred of him or his father if he tried.

"Alright," his father said as the crowd grew silent. "Your test results have been processed, and you have all been assigned a partner. You both will be given your own apartment, and are expected to produce one boy and one girl within four years of your union, after which you will be free to marry, but not reproduce with, whoever you wish. The test results are-"

He cleared his throat, and looked down at the sheet of paper in his hand. "Butch DeLoria-Christine Kendall."   
  
Jake was relieved that Butch wouldn't get anywhere near Amata, but still felt a pang of guilt for Christine, who'd never hidden her disgust from Butch and his lapdogs. Glancing over, he saw that tears were streaming down her face, and she clutched a pillar for support. His father merely continued speaking.

"Freddie Gomez-Susie Mack."    
  
At least those two didn't hate each other. Jake looked over at them; both gave each other an uncertain look. Not ideal, but there could be worse pairings.

Third on the list was Jake, who's gaze dropped to the floor and clutched Amata's hand tightly, waiting for the words that would tear them apart.

"Jake Morgan-Amata Almodovar."

 Jake's eyes shot up to meet his father's, and he didn't dare believe it. Amidst the uproar of people shouting, Jake could have sworn his father had briefly smiled. He looked over at Amata, who was simply gaping, her eyes wide. She slowly turned to him. 

"Did he say-?" She began.

"Yes!" he whispered, and the next thing he knew she had thrown her arms around him, her lips pressed firmly against his. When they finally broke apart, Amata's eyes were watery, and tears of joy and relief were streaming down her face. She whispered the two words Jake could hardly believe as they held onto each other. 

"We're okay." 


	3. Learning the Truth

"HOW DARE YOU MORGAN!"   
  
James, who had lived through the harshness of both the Mojave and Capital Wastelands, did not flinch at the Overseer's outburst. He simply looked up from his terminal, hoping that the Overseer's rage would only be expressed verbally, and calmly said, "Those were the results, Overseer."   
  
"Bullshit!" the Overseer spat, slamming his fist down on James' desk. "You're telling me that the only genetically viable partner for my daughter is that brat son of yours?!"   
  
"You specifically said not to alter the test results in any way," James said truthfully. "The simple fact of the matter is that Jake and Amata were the only viable partners for each other if genetic stagnation is to be avoided in other pairings. There's no tampering, it's simply science. 

"And for the record-" he stood up "-would you rather Amata end up with Butch, or Wally Mack? I'll tell you this; for the few days that Jake and Amata had before you forced this upon them, my son never once tried to pressure Amata into doing anything she didn't feel comfortable with. If there's anyone in this Vault who you can be sure will give your daughter a happy life, it's Jake." 

The Overseer's mouth was a thin line, and he breathed in and out through his nose. A vein throbbed in his temple, and James couldn't help but conjure up a picture of him breathing fire. He opened his mouth to say more, then shut it tightly and shook his head before storming out of the room, almost shoulder-tackling James' assistant Jonas as he walked through the office door.   
  
"Well that was pleasant," James said sarcastically as Jonas pressed a button on the wall to shut the door.   
  
"I could hear him from out in the hallway," Jonas replied, taking a seat opposite him. "I knew there was gonna be hell to pay...but that's behavior you'd expect from Allen Mack, not the Overseer." 

There was a long silence, which Jonas eventually broke. "Something gonna change down here, Doc."   
  
He'd gotten that right, James reflected. Sarah had already seen it coming before her death. James had seen it when the dwellers, many of them under 20, had shouted in outrage as their ability to live freely was taken from them. Three decades of living on the surface had taught James that there was only so much you could put people, especially teenagers, through before they revolted.   
  
"It's the only way," he muttered. 

"Huh?" said Jonas, although James suspected he was just humoring him. 

"This place won't last like this," James explained. "Stanley won't outright say it, but he knows as well as both of us do that every system keeping this place alive will fail within the next ten years or so. And when people start to panic, there's going to be a lot of bloodshed. It's just human nature. If the Overseer doesn't open this Vault, then nobody down here will have a life at all."   
  
"He won't do it," Jonas told him. "But his daughter might."   
  
James suddenly sat up straight in his seat and looked at his colleague. "Jonas, Amata's only 17. Unless her father dies or steps down, she won't be Overseer until she's thirty, and by then it'll be too late."   
  
"She'll be Overseer long before that," Jonas assured him. "How many times have you said now that eventually, the truth will come out and people will get sick of Alphonse's policies? This is the thing that might tip them over the edge. It won't be long, Doc, before something changes down here." 

* * *

 

The obligation of having children still pestered Jake as he walked with Amata to the apartment they now shared. They hadn't talked about it, instead choosing to enjoy the fact that they would be together, and this time the Overseer wouldn't have an excuse to drive them apart.   
  
He'd feared that the Amata's father would put them in a crappy apartment with no private bathroom and hardly any room, but it turned out that making Amata comfortable was a bigger priority to the Overseer than making Jake miserable. The apartment they now shared had it's own kitchen, living room and a bathroom with it's own shower. The bedroom came with a bed that was so wide they could both sleep there  with inches of space between them. 

"So this is home now," he said, just to break the silence between them. He took a seat at the kitchen table and surveyed the room. 

"Yeah, I guess," Amata said vaguely, her mind clearly somewhere else. She sat down on the living room couch, and lowered her head.   
  
Jake left his seat in the kitchen to sit next to her, placing an arm around her waist as she rested her head on his chest. "Do you want to talk about it?" 

She didn't respond for a moment, although Jake could tell she knew what he meant. After a few failed attempts at forming words, she finally managed to get a sentence out. 

"They're going to make us have kids," she said simply. 

"I know."   
  
"I don't know if I can do it," she whispered, her voice cracking. "I know it hurts...the first time, and I know having children hurts too. And...what if I'm not a good mom?"  
  
Jake almost laughed. "Amata, you'd make a great mother. And yes, it'll hurt. There's no denying that but...well, I won't force you into anything."   
  
Amata looked up at him, her eyes red and watery. "You won't?"  
  
"No," Jake said, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "The truth is, Amata, that I don't give a damn what your dad says. I only care what you say. And if you say you want to wait, then that's what we'll do."   
  
Amata looked relieved and gave Jake a small kiss on the cheek. "Well...I've been thinking about it and, well...I'm scared of it, but I always will be if I don't face it. So, if it's okay with you, Jake, I want to do it tonight."   
  
She blushed, dropping her gaze, and murmured, "But if you want to wait...that's fine."   
  
Jake slid down from the couch and crouched down on the floor to look at her. "Amata, I want to do this, but I want you to promise me that this is what you want, because I won't forgive myself if I end up making you do something you don't want to do."   
  
He placed his hands on her shoulders, and she looked into his worried eyes, and said, "Jake, I want this. I promise." 

She pulled him up to kiss him, and as he become lost in her embrace, he failed to notice her hand moving toward his jumpsuit's zipper.

* * *

"Good morning Jake," Jonas greeted the next morning, his mouth twitching.   
  
"Is something funny?" Jake asked. 

Jonas said nothing, only trying to keep a straight face. Then, he gave up and burst out laughing.

"What?" Jake said in confusion. 

"Sorry!" Jonas said through fits of laughter. "It's just...you've got that look on your face that every teenage boy has when they..."  
  
He trailed off, and shook with uncontrollable laughter. Jake sighed. 

"But seriously," said Jonas. "I'm glad things turned out okay for you two. I knew it was meant to be."   
  
"Christ Jonas," Jake replied, laughing. "You realize how cheesy that sounds?"   
  
Not that he disagreed. 

* * *

Amata finally found Christine down by the reactor level, and was glad that the only other person who knew of the shooting gallery feet away from them was Stanley, who you couldn't pay to sell out James or Jake. 

  
When she approached, Christine looked up from the wall panel she was screwing back in, and Amata choked up; Christine had a nasty bruise on her forehead, and her eyes were red, watery, and filled with agony. With her free hands, she clutched herself like a small child.   
  
"What do you want?" she snapped. Amata stopped, and took a step back. 

  


"I just wanted to see if you were okay," she said, sound weak and pathetic.

 "Am I okay?" Christine exclaimed, clenching her fists. "Yeah, I'm fine, all things considered." 

She turned away, but that wasn't good enough for Amata; nobody's 'okay' when they wake up with a fresh bruise and dry tears.

  
 "Christine," Amata said quietly. "I'm sorry." 

"Sorry?!" Christine was shouting now. "You don't get to be sorry, Amata! You didn't spend yesterday evening getting pounded by Butch! You weren't forced let a man force himself on you while he yelled at you to stop crying. I bet Jake was all sweet and gentle with you huh? That'd be right, pampered bitch." 

Amata wanted to tell Christine she didn't mean it like that, but she decided it was best to just keep quiet and take her verbal beating without a word.

  
 "You think you got it so rough, Amata?" Christine continued venomously. "At least you didn't have to worry about your parents finding out that you were into girls. You didn't have to act like you were the complete opposite of what you were! You have no fucking clue what everyone else in this Vault goes through, do you?" 

If Amata had said she wasn't hurt by that, she'd be lying, so it was with a deep breath that she finally spoke up."Christine, that's not-" 

"Save it," Christine spat. "You're no better than your father."

  
 Amata couldn't contain herself any longer. Without thinking, she lashed out to deliver a backhand across Christine's face. Christine staggered back against the wall, raising a hand to her face. She looked at Amata with tearful eyes. 

 

"Amata, I'm sorry," she whispered.

 

Amata didn't want any of it. She turned on her heal and left the reactor room, and before she knew it she was running back to her apartment. 

  
"Amata," Jake said as she rushed into the room. "What's wrong?"

  
 She came to a stop, and Jake rushed forward to hold her. 

 

"I..." She couldn't speak. No words came to her mind. 

 

Jake gently stroked her cheek with his hand. "Shh, just take a breath. C'mon and sit down..." 

Gratefully, she complied and allowed Jake to guide her over to the couch. 

"So what happened?" he asked again, sitting beside her. 

  
Amata took a few deep breaths to calm herself down, then let it all out. "I got in an argument with Christine. Things....things didn't go well with her and Butch, so she's in a bad way..."  
   
She trailed off. She felt selfish, forcing her troubles on Jake, who merely said, "What did Christine say to you?" 

"She...she said I was just as bad as my father."

Jake's jaw dropped. "What?" he said incredulously. "That's ridiculous. You're the type of person your father should be." 

"Thanks," she said, forcing a smile. "But that's not the worst of it. I lost my temper...and I hit her." 

Jake's jaw snapped shut, and his voice turned stern. "Amata, you know the way she must be in right now."

"I know," Amata said in a small voice, her face burning with shame. "I just...I lost it." 

I understand," said Jake, his voice turning warmer. "It's been a hectic week, and everyone's on edge. So if you every feel like you need to just...you know, blow off steam, I'm happy to listen."

Amata had been certain that he was going to scold her, so she let out a breath of relief. "Thanks." 

"And if that doesn't help," Jake continued. "Me and a few others have been doing some hand-to-hand sparring. You're welcome to join us whenever we're practicing." 

Amata gave a genuine smile of gratitude. "I should apologize to Christine," she mumbled. 

Jake gave a smile of approval. "That's a good idea. I think Christine will appreciate that."

He paused, biting his lip, then added, "You always know how to handle your mistakes. You'll make a great Overseer, Amata." 

She blushed; she was always too modest to not be embarrassed by compliments. 

* * *

Christine recoiled when she approached later that day. Amata held up her hands. 

 

"Christine, I'm not here to fight."

Christine gave her a scared look, and Amata felt a fresh wave of shame. 

  
"I shouldn't have said those things," Christine said tearfully. "I was so upset...and I-I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

"It's okay Christine," Amata told her. "I just...wanted to say I was sorry." 

Christine shifted uncomfortably, and ran a hand over the spot where Amata had hit her. 

"I know this can't be an easy thing for you," Amata said, suddenly remembering what Jake had offered her. "And I just want you to know that if you ever need to just...let it all out, I'll listen." 

Christine looked at her, and began to sob. "T-Thank you." 

Without a second thought, Amata moved over to hug her. Christine gratefully wrapped her arms around Amata's neck, burying her face in Amata's shoulder. 

 

"And if it means anything," Amata whispered. "I enjoyed that kiss." 

 

It was the only thing she could think of that she thought would make Christine better, but Amata knew that unless she did something when she became Overseer, those words would mean nothing.

* * *

In the days that followed, life in the Vault returned something resembling normal. Amata and Jake both agreed to avoid flaunting their relationship in public for the sake of not winding up everyone who hadn't gotten so lucky. Although that wasn't enough to stop the dirty looks they got whenever they studied out in the atrium. They both kept to themselves for the most part, worried that simply looking at someone the wrong way would start trouble. 

  
On three occasions, Christine came to their apartment. Amata was thankful that the Vault walls and doors were soundproof, because Christine was so loud that it would have woken the whole Vault up. When she was finished, Amata sat her down on the couch, made her a cup of coffee, and clutched her hand until she felt better. Jake always left them alone; it wasn't his place to intrude. 

In November of 2276, just over a month after Jake and Amata were 'married', Jake answered the apartment door to find Officer Gomez giving him a grim look.

"Overseer wants to talk to you," he said simply. "Now."

 Jake nodded, bracing himself for an outburst. He'd only heard from Amata how bad her father could get, and his stomach was churning when Gomez stopped outside the Overseer's office. 

"Good luck Jake," he said grimly. Jake nodded his thanks, and entered the admin room that separated him from the office proper, across from which was the apartment that Amata had shared with her father. The door was open, and Jake stood politely outside the office as the Overseer looked up from his desk. 

"Sit down," he said shortly, hands firmly by his sides. Jake complied without a word, taking a seat across from the Overseer, who gave a sigh. 

"Is Amata well?" he asked, leaning back in his chair. Jake nodded, and said, "She hasn't talked to you?" 

The Overseer shook his head. "We haven't talked since the test results were read out, which I was less than pleased with, as you'll probably know." 

There was an uncomfortable silence between them, with Jake wondering why the Overseer had called him here. Finally, he decided to speak up. 

  
"I understand that you don't like me," he said. "I understand that you don't like my father. I even understand why you want me as far away from Amata as possible. "But the truth of the matter is that my dad did not tamper with those test results. Jonas and I can testify to that; we've both seen the raw results."

"Given that you three are the only certified medical officers, I seem to have no choice but to take your word on that," the Overseer replied. "But I suggest you enjoy your marriage while it lasts, because after four years and you've produced enough offspring, your union will automatically expire." 

I went rigid in my seat. "What? You can't bend the rules!" 

"I am the Overseer! I can bend any rule I wish." 

"Not for your own personal gain!" Jake said hotly, standing up. "I should point out that there is a code of conduct that applies to you. You are not within your right to treat people however you please."

"I am within my right to do what is best for the people of this Vault, including my daughter." 

"And this is what you call this?" Jake countered. "For all you knew, Amata could have been married to Butch or Wally Mack. Is that what's best for her? And even now that she's in a marriage she's at least willing to commit to, you're just going to force her out of it? Not only is this unjustified, it suggests that you have an inability to remain unbiased." 

"Excuse me?" the Overseer said indignantly. "What exactly are you implying?"

"That you cannot separate what you call 'doing what's best for the Vault' and your own personal feelings for your daughter. If you are, in fact, unbiased and neutral, then why would you personally dissolve Amata's marriage and nobody else? if she really doesn't want to be with me after four years, then she's free to leave me."

Jake had to force back a triumphant smile as he added, "Given that you're willing to break your own rules to support your agenda, I have to ask you to consider if you're in the right state of mind to lead this Vault." 

The Overseer looked like he'd just been hit in the face, and it took all of Jake's efforts to avoid smiling. 

  
"Get. Out," the Overseer hissed, giving me a look of unchecked fury. Without a word I left the room.

* * *

Days eventually turned to weeks, and weeks turned to months. Jake told Amata of his conversation with her father, but she still doubted that he'd actually make true on his word. Even though he practically lived in his office, even he had to know that people were questioning his authority. The outraged shouts people had given him when she and Jake were paired confirmed it. 

  
She continued to comfort Christine, who still thankfully wasn't pregnant yet, and got some good news; Butch had actually started to turn his attention away from her. Amata guessed that Butch must have figured out that there were girls in the Vault who would throw themselves at him, and he'd barely acknowledged Christine's existence. It left a good mark on Christine, who had stopped bawling when she came to talk to Amata. 

  
And thankfully, Amata didn't have another one of her outbursts. She brushed off the fight with Christine as a heat-of-the-moment thing, and Christine insisted that she had moved on from it. 

 

Amata returned from work one night to find Jake, who she had now gotten used to calling her husband, sitting at the desk with his head bent down, rapidly writing down into a thick notepad. She knew that the notepad was where he kept his stories, which he said helped him forget about the tiny world they lived in. He never let any, not even Amata, read them. She didn't mind; she understood that it was his own place that nobody could intrude on. 

 

"Hey," he said, smiling when she walked in. He closed the notepad before walking over to her. After a brief kiss, they broke apart.

 

 "How's your writing going?" Amata asked. 

 

"Um...okay I guess," Jake said awkwardly. Amata guessed it couldn't be easy for him to talk about his writing when nobody else had read it. 

  
"Mind if I, uh..." Amata began, wondering if she was being invasive. "Mind if I read a bit?" 

"Well...uh," Jake gave a nervous laugh and rubbed the back of his head. "I guess...but it's not finished." 

"That's okay," she replied, giving him a reassuring smile. He set the notepad back to the first page, then stepped back so that she could read it. Jake was the type of person who wrote without pausing, yet could still keep his writing neat. And what he wrote was excellent. There was room for improvement when it came to pacing, but that was understandable for someone as young as him. But that didn't change the fact that what he did write was interesting, and Amata struggled to put it down. 

 

"Jake, this is incredible," she finally said. "You should take this to Mr Brotch." 

 

Jake looked relieved and relaxed a little, but shifted uncomfortable nonetheless. "I don't know, Amata..."

 "Seriously, you should show him," Amata insisted. "You know he's been organizing a creative writing group for years, right? I know for a fact the guys in that group aren't all that confident. This could really help them." 

Jake still looked uncertain; he just wasn't confident enough in his work to show it himself. Suddenly, Amata had an idea. 

"Why don't I show this to him?" she suggested. "I'll type it up, and let Mr Brotch use that. At least that way, people won't know it's your work." 

Jake stood there for a moment, his mouth clamped shut like it always was when the gears turned in his head. Finally, he gave a relieved sigh and said, "Thanks, Amata. I'd go myself, but I don't want to look...you know, self-serving." 

Amata couldn't help but laugh. "You? Self-serving? Nobody in their right mind would think that!"   


* * *

"Well hello Amata," Mr Brotch said warmly as Amata entered the classroom. "How're things with Jake?"

"They're good," Amata replied, more brightly than she expected. "Things have moved along fast, but they're good. Jake's still tutoring me, and well...we're okay."

  
"That's good to hear," Mr Brotch said, and Amata didn't think it was just to be polite. "I actually wanted to talk about that," Amata continued. "Did you know that Jake's been writing his own fiction for the past few years?" 

Brotch leaned back in his seat, scratching at his chin. "I wasn't certain, but I'd wondered what he kept in that notebook of his. Everyone who ever loved writing loved reading, after all."  
   
"Well, I read some of his work, and it's good." 

Brotch raised his eyebrows at Amata. "Really?" 

"Here," Amata said, handing him the typed up version of Jake's stories. There was a silence as he read through it. 

  
"Wow," Brotch finally said, handing back the stapled-together pages. "This is by far the best work I've seen from a student. It'd make a great teaching tool." 

"Well, Jake said you're welcome to use it," Amata told him, smiling. "Just so long as you keep him anonymous."

 

Brotch looked a little disappointed, but nodded nonetheless. "Alright, if he doesn't want his name on it. Tell him I appreciate it. This'll be a great example for my classes to go by. And let him know that he can change his mind on it any time. He ought to be proud of his work."

* * *

Jake had to work in Maintenance the following Saturday, leaving Amata bored in their apartment. With nothing else to do, she wandered into the bathroom. She tugged at the collar of her jumpsuit, which suddenly felt very constricting.

 

It was a relief as she unzipped the thing and let it drop, leaving her in her underwear. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, examining her own body. Butch and his buddies had harassed her for her slightly above-average weight in the past. 

 

Well okay, her weight wasn't really why. It was just her body shape. Her hips were slightly wider that those of the other girls, and she wasn't exactly flat-chested. Butch and his two lackeys (who had made a laughing stock of themselves with their 'Tunnel Snakes' nickname) had associated her body type with 'fat', and the snide remarks were endless. 

The worst part of it had been being unable to hide it. The Vault jumpsuits were designed to fit to any body type, so there was no way of disguising it. If you were scrawny, it would show. If you were obese, it would show. And if you had larger proportions than anyone else, it would show. 

 

She stared at her reflection now, remembering their first night together after being married. She'd been embarrassed to show her body, covering herself with her arms. Jake had just smiled as he gently pulled her arms away, whispering to her that she was beautiful. 

 

She smiled as she remembered how the tension had instantly left her, replaced only by the comfort of having another human so close to her. 

 

Leaving the bathroom, she lay down on their bed, remembering how it felt when they fell asleep clutching each other. She smiled again at the thought of sleeping like that tonight. 

 

There was a hiss outside; Jake was home. Unable to stop smiling, she pushed herself off the bed and left the room to meet him. 

 

When she saw him, her smile disappeared. Jake's skin was pale, his hair in a mess, and he was shaking uncontrollably. 

 

"Jake?" Amata asked uncertainly. "What's wrong?"

Jake looked at her with wide, panicked eyes, and simple said, "This place is falling apart."


	4. No Easy Answer

Amata stormed into her father's office, ignoring the fact that it was the first time they'd spoken since she'd been paired with Jake. Her father was at his desk, his expression unreadable as he looked at her. 

"Do you mind explaining this to me?" she said, handing him the report Jake had given her. There was so much that he'd decided it would just be easier to write it all down.   
  
Her father sighed and reached over to the report, skimming over it with a bored expression. "What of it?"   
  
"'What of it'?" exclaimed Amata, throwing up her hands in frustration. "This is our life support system we're talking about! If someone doesn't fix the problem, then we'll run out of air!"   
  
"It's being handled," her father said with a dismissive wave. 

"How?" Amata asked sharply. "Dad, I need to know what's being done."   
  
Her father looked at her and took a deep breath. "We're pulling spare parts from some of the none-essential systems. It'll keep the air filters going for awhile."   
  
"'For awhile'?" Amata repeated. "Dad, that's not going to be enough! There's gotta be a permanent solution to this."   
  
The Overseer looked at her, and the resigned look on his face told her everything he said next. "There isn't one."  
  
Those words sent a cold chill up Amata's spine, and the shudder that resulted from it quickly turned into shaking. Every thought and petty worry left her as the true implications of those words dawned on her. 

She vaguely heard her father say something else; an apology maybe, but without a word of her own she turned on her heel and ran out of the office.   
  
She found herself down in the atrium, which was almost completely deserted. Her eyes went to the door that led to the lower level, where her apartment was. But instead, instinct sent her the other way, up a flight of steps that led to the enormous cog-shaped door of Vault 101. 

Without thinking, she stopped at the control panel on the raised platform before the door. She was alone in the silent room, the only sound being the quiet _whoosh_  of air being blown around through the vents.   
  
She looked down at the controls, searching for anything to open the door; better to let it end now than dwell on it while the Vault fell apart around her. There was a level on the control panel, and the urge to pull it down was so strong that Amata actually reached out to grasp it.   
  
She hesitated, her hand on the handle. Even if the Vault door did open, which nobody in the Vault had ever witnessed, she couldn't be sure that she would die quickly and painlessly. For all she knew, the air outside the doors was filled with some disease that would leave her agonized for days before killing her. And not only would she suffer for it, but so would everyone she knew. Christine, her father, James, Jonas, and Jake.   
  
She let go of the lever. Whatever deadly substance was out there, she couldn't expose everyone else to the same fate as her. Besides, it wouldn't be hard to break into the armory and grab a pistol. Then she could end it without any pain. 

But then her thoughts strayed to Jake, and the memories of them as friends, and then as husband and wife. Those night spent curled up in each other's arms. She couldn't go without having at least one more of those moments. 

But then a horrible thought occurred to her; what if she couldn't let go of him, dragging him into her misery instead? There was no easy answer, the only two of which terrified her.   
  
Unable to make a decision, Amata collapsed there on the cold metal floor, letting out a few strangled sobs.   
  
There was a hiss as the door to the atrium opened, and she couldn't bring herself to look up. 

"Amata," came a whisper so quiet that she didn't recognize the voice. Forcing herself to look up, she found herself staring into Jake's teary eyes. She let out another sob, and Jake rushed forward to wrap his arms around her, allowing her to do the same to him. 

The full implication of her father's words finally hit her; they'd never have to worry about having kids, or being separated by the Overseer. It would never come to that. 

They'd both be dead long before that. 

* * *

No security officers came to force them out. They simply sat against the wall opposite the Vault door, holding each other and crying for what could have been days. Finally, they helped each other up, and walked slowly back to their apartment. Thankfully, the atrium was deserted except for Stanley, who looked away from them in shame of what he'd hidden from them for so long.   
  
When they made it home, Jake lowered Amata onto the couch, sitting down beside her. Seeing her like this was like getting punched in the gut, and it was even worse that nothing he said could comfort her.   
  
"We're going to die," she whispered.   
  
Jake said nothing, only sitting there with one arm around her shoulders and his free hand clutching hers.   
  
Somehow, they eventually fell asleep right there, with Jake waking up on the carpet below. Amata gave him an apologetic look as he sat up and groaned. They were silent for a long time, with no comforting thoughts or words coming to them. 

  
"I-I have to tell my father," he said finally, thinking of the only person he could go to with this.

  
"Please don't go," Amata begged, lowering herself to the floor to sit next to him. "I don't want to die alone in here." 

"I won't be gone long," Jake assured her, giving her a gentle kiss on the forehead. "We can't keep this quiet. People deserve to know the truth. Don't worry, I'll come back." 

He pulled himself to his feet, only to find Amata clutching his arm and pulling herself up too. 

  


"Then I'm coming with you," she said. "If we're going to die down here, I want to stay with you to the end." 

  


Jake didn't bother raising any argument, so they left their apartment together, never letting go of each other's hands. As they walked through the lower level of the Vault, Jake couldn't notice the silence. The hallways were completely deserted and the diner was occupied only by Andy, the Mr Handy Robot that worked in Maintenance. He greeted them cheerfully as they walked past. 

  


The clinic was deserted except for Jonas, who was sitting at one of the desks with his head in his hands. He barely looked up as they walked in, and Jake noticed three empty whiskey bottles. "Jesus Christ!" He exclaimed, kneeling over to help his friend. "Jonas? Wake up, buddy."

Jonas stirred, and murmured, "It's all a lie." 

"What? What is?" Jake asked. 

"He's lying to us," Jonas whispered, his eyes half closed. "About the outside." 

Jake's mind couldn't comprehend that. He guessed that Jonas was talking about the Overseer, who had always been behind everything they'd heard about the surface. But what was it about the outside that he'd been lying about? Jake didn't dare to hope. Jonas was shaking his head, and took another gulp from the fourth whiskey bottle that Jake hadn't noticed. "Said too much. Just go." Jake reluctantly left Jonas there. He'd sort himself out, hopefully. 

 

As it turned out, everyone who had bothered to get up that morning had assembled in the atrium, which looked like something out of a old war movie. There was crying, voices full of fake comfort, loved ones supporting each other, the few who kept to themselves with only their sorrows as company. There was no doubt in Jake's mind why all this was happening. Somehow, word had gotten out that this Vault wasn't going to last.

His father was tending to Butch DeLoria's alcoholic mother, Ellen. He wasn't a psychiatrist, but nobody was injured, and Jake guessed that he felt obligated to help people however he could. Ellen was sobbing quietly, eyeing the beer bottle that James had placed out of her reach.

 

He looked up as they approached, his face grim. "Everyone knows," he said simply, leaving Ellen to her grief; there wasn't anything he could do for her except make sure she didn't try to cut her wrists. 

 

"I've noticed," Jake said bitterly. He glanced over at the Overseer's office window. "At least our lord and ruler will get to watch what he's done to these people." 

He was surprised at the venom in his own words, and gave Amata a guilty look. She just shook her head. "I can't defend him this time," she said. "This is sick, even for him." 

And the devil himself was watching from the round window, Jake noticed. There was no guilt or remorse in the man's eyes. Just indifference. Without thinking, Jake turned to face him, and he met the Overseer's cold gaze, and gave him the finger. The Overseer scowled and gave a small shake of his head. Amata was staring up at him too, with an expression that seemed to ask; _how could you?_  


 

"So this is where it all ends?" Jake said to his father. "Watching everyone panic while the radiation works its way in here?" 

James didn't show any sign of hearing him for a moment. Then, he shook his head. "No, son." 

Jake blinked. "What?" "None of it is true," James, unable to meet his son's eye. "The surface, it's...it's not what he says it is." 

He sat down on one of the metal chairs under the atrium balcony. "I should have told you this years ago," he murmured, then looked up. "The surface isn't uninhabitable." 

A voice inside Jake's head told him that he'd heard wrong, that foolish hope had made him hear those words. 

  
He shook his head. "How do you know that?" 

 

His father sighed before replying, "Because I was born up there. We both were." 

* * *

Jake and Amata left the atrium at that, curling up on their bed at home and trying to understand the implications of what James had told them.

 

Amata didn't want to get her hopes up. Just because opening the Vault door wasn't suicide didn't mean there was anything up there. She conjured up an image of an endless grey wasteland with a sickly green sky. No water, no trees, no life.And the fact that every inch of it wasn't irradiated wasn't all that comforting.   


But at the same time, she could help but dare to hope. Because maybe, there was a small chance that they would make it through this. That she might still have a life to live.

"So much is happening," she whispered, more to herself than to anyone. 

"Yeah," Jake agreed, staring at the wall. He lay on his side, his arm around her waist. 

"What will we do?" she asked him. He looked uncertain.

"I...I don't know," he admitted. "For now, I just want to enjoy our time together. I don't know what's gonna happen, and we might not have a chance to relax for a while."   
  
Amata smiled. "And how should we enjoy our time together?"   
  
"I've got some ideas," he replied, grinning. They came together in a passionate kiss, fumbling for the zippers of each other's jumpsuits. She felt her Vault suit loosen, and she pulled it down by the shoulders before wrapping her arms around Jake's waist, all the terror and uncertainty disappearing instantly. 

* * *

The next morning, Jake and Amata managed to discuss the reality of their situation. 

  
"If word gets out that the outside isn't uninhabitable," Amata told him. "then people will try to open the door, and my father's going to stop them." 

"It's the only option," Jake replied. "This place won't last much longer without spare parts, and the outside is the only place we could get them." 

He sighed. "Amata, I'll be honest. I don't think this Vault is safe with your father in charge." 

The observation didn't offend her. Even she couldn't deny that her dad was doing more harm than good. And as long as his word was law, the Vault would never be safe. 

Suddenly, she felt anger rising up in her. "That son of a bitch!" 

Jake jumped slightly in alarm; Amata rarely ever cursed, saving those words for the worst of people.

"What is it?"

"Christine was raped because of him!" she yelled. "Forcing everyone into marriage, letting this Vault fall apart and for what? To protect a fucking lie!" 

 

Jake quickly wrapped his arms around her, and Amata's anger subsided. 

 

"'I'm sorry," she whispered. "I just can't believe he'd do this to us." 

She looked at him with wide eyes. "Jake, he has to be stopped!" 

 

"He will be," Jake assured her. "This was the tipping point, Amata. People aren't going to stay quiet anymore."  
   
But he didn't looked relieved. Instead, he looked grim. "Amata, I think things will get worse before they get better. If your father doesn't listen to words..."

He trailed off, and Amata understood what he meant. Despite everything he'd done, she didn't want her father to get hurt; maybe something had happened to him that she didn't know about. He could be sick, or hurt somehow. 

* * *

It was Monday now, which meant back to work and studying. Everyone went about their business in silence, and what few words were exchanged were spoken in quiet tones. Jake filled in for Jonas, who was still feeling the effects of four bottles of whiskey. 

 

His father went about his work silently, spending most of the day in his office, typing on that terminal. After what he'd said the previous day, Jake couldn't help but wonder if there was something on that terminal that was't Vault-related. He tried to get a look through the office window, but his father had arranged his office so that his head blocked the terminal screen. 

Hardly a word was spoken between man and son for hours, until James emerged from his office with a look of purpose. "We should talk." 

Jake said nothing, thinking about how to respond. He ended up settling on, "So where are we from?" 

James sighed. "Well, I was born on the west coast, in a city called Arroyo. Our ancestors were from Vault 13, and they left over a hundred years ago to help found the city," he recounted. "After I was trained in medicine and met your mother, we made our way to Washington D.C, and then..." 

He trailed off with a sad look on his face. Then he continued, "Your mother, myself, and a few other scientists settled down at the old Jefferson Memorial in Washington. And that's where we worked on Project Purity." 

It was as if a bell went off in Jake's head; he'd heard that name before, somewhere.

 

"Project Purity," he muttered, not noticing his father turn back into his office and return with the framed Bible quote he kept on his wall. Jake had read the quote countless times. Revelation 21:6. 

 

_'I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and then end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.'_

 

"It had something to do with water," Jake said, phrasing it as a statement. 

James nodded. "After the war, the water in the Potomac River was undrinkable, and it probably still is. So we got to work on building a purifer that would filter out all the radiation and muck, and the entire Wasteland would have clean water." 

 

"But it didn't work," Jake guessed. "Otherwise, you'd be out there." 

James gave another nod, smaller this time. "There was a group guarding the Memorial called the Brotherhood of Steel. When the project hit a dead end, the Brotherhood left. And then Catherine died. At that point, I just didn't think it could work anymore.

 

"So I left and brought you here. I tried to keep working on Project Purity from down here, but the Overseer did his best to stop me from doing so. Wanted me to leave it all behind. But now..." 

He paused, looking as if he wanted to say something but wondered if he should When he did finally speak up, he looked as if speaking were a struggle. 

 

"The Vault...it's going to open one way or another. And when it does...I can't stay here knowing that there might a chance to finish what your mother and I started." 

Jake understood immediately. "So you're leaving the Vault?" 

His father nodded. "Look, you and Jonas are both capable physicians. These people will be in good hands. And well...I have to at least see what's out there now."

"Then I'll come with you."

Jake's father shook his head. "No Jake. You're needed here. Jonas can't run this place alone. And more importantly, Amata needs you as well. 

"Alphonse won't be Overseer for much longer, and his daughter is one of the only people who has a chance of taking his place." 

 

"She's 18, dad," Jake said in disapproval. 

 

"That won't matter to anyone when the Vault is left without a leader," James countered. "People are going to panic without someone to take charge. And you know as well as I do, Jake, that simple kindness is going to compel Amata to be that someone.

 

 

"And when she does, she'll need people she can trust, and I don't think she trusts anyone more than you." 

Jake opened his mouth without really knowing what to say, then reluctantly shut it. He suddenly felt selfish for intending to leave the Vault, even if it was to ensure his father's safety. I nodded instead, because he was right.

 

Amata would want to take charge, and she'd need him here. 

* * *

  


It was as another day of tensions in the Vault came to a close that Amata and Jake heard the door of their apartment slide open. 

 

Jake frowned and whispered for Amata to stay put before silently pulling on a jumpsuit and grabbing the baseball bat propped up next to the bedroom door. There were footsteps and voices outside, and Amata became aware of just how vulnerable she was; lying in bed with only a blanket to cover her. 

 

She hastily grabbed her own jumpsuit from the floor and stepped into it, pleased at her own ability to stay quiet. The jumpsuit hung rather loosely, but she didn't dare pull up the zipper. There was a _click_ from outside; someone must have turned the light on. 

 

Jake reached over to push the door button, and fluorescent blue light flooded the bedroom before Jake blocked most of it by ducking into the living room, bat in hand. 

 

"Get the hell out!" he shouted as Amata spotted the silhouette of another man wearing a Vault security vest and helmet. There was a _crack_ as Jake brought the baseball bat down on the guard's head, cracking his visor. 

 

Amata ran out of the room despite Jake's warning to stay put, just as Jake lifted the damaged helmet off of the man. 

 

"Gomez?!" 

"It's not how it looks!" Gomez replied, groaning as he stood up. 

"Oh really?" Jake said sarcastically. "The buzzer's there for a goddamn reason!" 

"Overseer would have known," said Gomez. "He's monitoring every system in the damn Vault. I had bribe Stanley with ration coupons to get him to disable the cameras and speakers in here." 

Amata's jaw dropped in horror as she remembered all the intimate moments between her and Jake, who now looked just as horrified as she felt. 

 

"There are _cameras_ in here?!" he said in an outraged whisper. 

 

"Don't worry, I had Stanley rig them to show old footage long before Alphonse got to look at them. He hasn't seen any of the dirty shit you two must have gotten up to." 

Jake made a sound that was somewhere between a sigh of relief and a snort of laughter. Amata also felt relieved; it seemed silly, given the state of the Vault, but the thought of her father watching her getting it on with Jake via camera was just as discomforting as if he'd walked in on them. 

 

"So why are you here?" she asked, sounding a little more rude than she'd intended. Gomez paid no mind to her tone, thankfully.

 

"There's talk in the lower level of jumping the guards and storming the Overseer's office," he said. 

 

Amata tried to speak, but only produced an indistinct croaking sound. Jake folded his arms over his chest. 

 

"I'm not surprised," he said grimly. "Now that the truth is out, I'm surprised nobody is saying 'fuck you' to the Overseer and trying to open the Vault door themselves." 

Gomez sighed. "Because they're scared, Jake. They always have been." 

Jake's frowning expression turned confused. "You mean-?"

"Yes, Jake," Gomez cut in. "Every adult down here has known. The guy before Alphonese, Overseer Bartlett, he actually sent people out into the Wasteland, so word got around that life could exist outside. When Bartlett died, Alphonse was determined to make sure nobody came in here or got out again. The exception was your dad, and a few people who managed to slip past security."

He took a breath, looking distant all of a sudden. "Christ, I remember when your dad brought you in here. Not even Amata cried that loud." 

Amata let out a weak laugh, despite the situation. The tension returned as Gomez's face went grim again. 

"But everyone was scared of the outside. They didn't want to face whatever was out there. So they all agreed to keep their mouths shut to their children." 

"So you knew, then?" Jake asked coldly. 

"Yes, I did," Gomez replied hotly. "And I hated every second of it. You don't think I wanted to get on a loudspeaker and call the Overseer out on his bullshit? If I'd thought there was a chance of positive change down here, I probably would have done it." 

He sighed as he sat down and put his hands on his head. 

 

"I hated whenever my son got scared shitless as I fed him the Overseer's bullshit," he said in a shaky voice. "I hated knowing that this Vault was falling apart while the answer to surviving was outside."

 

He suddenly looked up with realization in his eyes. "Each Vault apparently got their own orders from Vault-Tec before the bombs fell. I've seen what our sealed orders say. We were meant to keep the Vault running for as long as possible without interacting with the outside world, even if it meant people would suffer for it." 

"You mean to tell me," Amata said, her temper rising. "that my father is doing all of this because of orders written by some corporate asshole who died 200 years ago?!" 

"Believe it or not, yes," Gomez replied with a grimace. "This isn't the result of your father going off the rails, even though I think he isn't far off from turning into a psychopath. All of this was planned. We've all been used for something." 

 

There was a long silence as his words hung over them. Amata felt sick; she'd been forced into a marriage (and had ended up with Jake due to nothing more than chance), practically sentenced to die underground, and for what? To protect a lie crafted by some scumbag in a suit. 

"So what happens now?" Jake asked quietly. "Who's planning all this?" 

"Well, Butch is the most vocal, no surprise," Gomez muttered. "Paul Hannon Jr, Susie Mack, Christine, the Wilkins siblings, my own son Freddie, your dad, Jonas and myself are all agreeing that we gotta take matters into our own hands. We're planning on locking down the lower level." 

"James is in on this?" Amata said in astonishment as she looked at Jake. "That's not like him. The only time he's ever gotten in a fight is when Allen Mack took a swing at him. He's not violent." 

Gomez gave a nod of agreement. "That's true, he doesn't enjoy violence, but he's no stranger to it. He is from out there, after all. Besides, we're trying to avoid a firefight if we can. James is there to keep the rest of us sane while we work something out. Besides, we haven't even done anything..yet." 

"And will you?" Jake asked firmly. 

Gomez hesitated, then nodded. "We're planning on doing it tomorrow afternoon." 

He stood up. "Look, I'm sorry you guys are getting caught up in all this, but I think you both know that something's gonna change one way or another. What I'm asking is, what are you guys planning to do?" 

Amata and Jake exchanged a look; they'd had discussed specifics. So she just repeated what she told Jake.

"My father needs to be stopped." 

Gomez nodded. 

"Gomez, can you give us a minute?" Jake asked. Gomez gave another nod, and Jake and Amata moved into the kitchen. 

"Amata," Jake began. 

"Jake, this is our chance!" 

"I know, but..." he hesitated. "Amata, this could get people _killed_." 

 

Amata hesitated. An image of people in Vault jumpsuits lying face down on a cold metal floor, riddled with bullet  holes from which blood trickled, entered her mind. She imagined turning the bodies over to see the faces of the people she knew her entire lives; Jake, her father, James, Jonas, Christine. She saw herself holding Jake's dead body in her arms, staring down into his cold eyes. 

 

And she saw herself sitting against a wall, screaming as she held a gun to her head. 

 

She shook her head to clear the violent images from her thoughts, and then she saw the people of the Vault, fighting over the last few food rations and cutting themselves as the Vault fell apart around them. She saw Christine's tear-stricken face as she learnt of her pregnancy. 

 

Amata put herself in Christine's shoes, and thought about the other girls in the Vault who were no better off. She decided death sounded better then playing wife to guys who wouldn't give a shit about her or her children. She didn't want that life on anybody.

 

"Amata?" Jake's voice brought her back to reality. "You still with me?" 

"Yeah...yeah I'm here," she said. "Jake, we...we can't just do nothing. If my dad isn't stopped, none of us will survive. We have to stop him, whatever it takes." 

Jake looked as if he wanted to argue, and even opened his mouth. Then, his eyes went wide and he clamped his mouth shut before turning around and dropping in front of the bin in the corner. Amata started forward just as a horrible gurgling sound filled the room and Jake vomited into the bin. She couldn't help but wrinkle her nose at the smell. 

There was a groan behind her, and she turned around to see Gomez peering in from the doorway, looking as sick as she felt. After Jake stopped retching and wiped his mouth, he stood up and turned to face them both. 

 

"You're right," he said in a moaning voice. "You both are. We have to stop him. We have to open the Vault." 


	5. The Coming Storm

When they left their apartment the next morning, Amata and Jake found themselves in a very different Vault 101.

For one thing, everyone Gomez had named the night before was hanging around the lower level, despite the fact that it was a weekday and more than a few of them had jobs on the upper level. Some of them hung around in what came to be known as the Common Room, which was just one of the more spacious apartments set up with beds and a few couches and tables for relaxing.

And the only officer on patrol in the lower level was Gomez. To Jake, Gomez had always reminded him of the 'good cop' you saw in old movies. By no means was he a softie. Well, he could be, when he wanted to be. He just knew when it was a time to be a hard ass and when it was a time to go easy on people. Compared to most of the other officers, who Jake had always felt unsafe around, Gomez was exactly what a security guard should be.

A protector.

"Sorry you didn't get a heads-up," he told them with a guilty look. "Everyone decided there was no point waiting around. The adults are working on getting things organised down here."

"Has my father done anything?" Amata asked him anxiously.

"I've been talking with Officers Kendall and Richards. Apparently he's put armed guards up by the Vault entrance and tried to shut down the food dispensers."

"'Tried'?" Jake raised an eyebrow.

"Stanley's locked all the terminals on the upper level from getting into the system," Gomez explained with a grin. "We've got as much food and water as we need."   
  
He moved his hand under the back of his helmet to scratch his head as he began to explain what was going on. 

Stanley had managed to lock all doors to the atrium, and had the only override code to get them open. That meant that as long as the Overseer and security were locked out of the Vault systems on this floor, they were safe unless security tried to force the door open. 

The adults had formed a sort of council to keep things organised, and Jake noticed how most of the people in there were no more than twenty, which made them part of the group that had been forced into the Overseer's breeding policy. The council consisted of Jake's father, Gomez, Stanley, and Mary Kendall (Christine's mother), and they all met in an empty apartment to discuss their next move while Jake and Amata listened in. 

"So far, there's been no reply from the Overseer or anyone on the upper floor," Gomez reported. "I think our best bet is that they're working either on a response or on a way to force us out." 

"Is that a risk?" James asked Stanley, who shook his head. 

"No. It's unlikely that they'll find a way to regain control of the Vault systems."   
  
"Good. Then we can turn our attention to getting the Overseer's attention," Jake spoke up. All the adults turned to him, and he continued, "The Overseer needs to understand that we're in charge of the lower level and can remain so for as long as we want. Stanley, would there be a way to use the intercom to get a message to him?"  
  
Stanley paused for a moment, then gave a nod. "We could, but the only way for them to reply would be to give them control of the intercom system, which they could then exploit to get control of the life support systems. They could cut off our water and food, or even gas us out."   
  
"So it has to be face-to-face?" Gomez asked him.   
  
"If that's the case," Kendall said. "Then I suggest we send someone with a bit of respect among the security guards."   
  
She didn't even have to look at Gomez for Jake to know that she was talking about him. 

"I'd prefer not to go up alone," Gomez said to nobody in particular. "But then again, nobody else has firearm training. Jake caught his father's eye, the latter of whom sighed and gave a  _go ahead then_ gesture.

"I...um," Jake began awkwardly. "I've been practicing in a shooting range with a BB gun since I was ten. I know it's not much...but it's all I got."   
  
Gomez raised his eyebrows at James, who's silence gave him away. 

"I'm not even gonna ask where you got that," he said. "Alright, it'll do. I'll grab a security vest and a N99 for you."   
  
Gomez left his seat at the table in the middle of the room and left, with Jake and Amata in tow. 

"Alright," Gomez said in a no-nonsense tone. "First of all, this isn't a toy."   
  
"I know."   
  
"No, I mean it works differently to your BB gun," Gomez explained. "It's gonna have a much bigger recoil, and it's gonna be loud. Not to mention you'll have security all over you if it goes off, so keep the safety on." 

He flicked a switch on the weapon, and it made a single  _click_ sound. He handed it to Jake, along with a holster. 

"Alright, you ready?" 

"Good to go," Jake replied, then remembered. "Actually just a second."  
  
He pulled Amata aside. Her face was stricken with worry. 

"Please be safe," she whispered. "I can't lose you. Not now."   
  
"You won't," he whispered back. "I'll come back. I promise."   
  
But neither of them could ignore the fact that something could easily go wrong up there. Hell, for all he knew, the Overseer might be insane and order him gunned down on sight. 

As their lips met, Jake remembered the kiss they'd shared before being 'married', and how he was certain that it would be their last kiss ever. He felt that again, and knew that this time it could be for real. He forced himself to let go of her and rejoin Gomez, who had a remorseful look on his face. 

"You guys deserve better," he said. "Just stay behind me, sonny, and we'll all make it through this."   
  
He still looked grim, and Jake still felt afraid, but knowing that someone else had his back was comforting nonetheless. 

* * *

 Amata rushed into the bathroom, quickly turning on the tap and splashing water on her face. She stared at her reflection for a moment before bending down to cup the water in her hands and raise them to her mouth. She had to force it down, but at least it kept her distracted. 

The nightmares had come to her in the night. She'd been running through the Vault, past dead bodies and blood-splattered walls. There had been gunfire, crying and screaming somewhere in the distance. The great steel door of Vault 101 had opened as she ran towards it, revealing a sea of grey, dead soil and a green stormy sky. 

And then she'd woke up sweating. She'd thought about waking Jake, who could sleep through practically anything, but decided not to bother him with it. It had just been a nightmare, and nightmares weren't real. 

She stared at her reflection again, ashamed at her lack of composure. For God's sake, she was meant to be Overseer when this was all over! And instead of taking charge and being on top of the situation, she was on the brink of having a breakdown inside a bathroom. 

 _You're pathetic,_ she thought.  _People could die, and all you can think about is Jake. Selfish bitch._

Maybe Christine was right. Maybe she was just as bad as her father. 

She quickly dried her face with a paper towel and shoved the hateful thoughts to the side before returning to the Common Room. 

* * *

 The security guards already had their weapons drawn when they entered the atrium, and they immediately trained their guns on them. Jake half expected to feel a bullet go through his should during the walk from one end of the room to the other. Thankfully, the staircase leading to the upper floor wasn't out in the open, offering a short reprieve before they ventured out onto the balcony, where the guards trained their guns on them again. As the two of them passed Officer Kendall (Christine's father), he whispered to Gomez, "Hope you know what you're doing." 

He didn't lower his gun, but Jake couldn't help but notice that he was the only one with the safety on. 

There were no security guards in the admin section. The computer room was deserted, as was the security office. Gomez drew his gun before they made their way into the Overseer's quarters, his head swiveling briefly to the side-room marked as 'Operations' which was only occupied by the usual metal table in the center and computers against the wall. 

The door to the office proper was unlocked, and when we walked in I understood why. Empty whiskey bottles were strewn around the floor. Jake managed to count six before he gave up. And there he was, sitting at his desk, his head tilted back as he down another bottle. When it was empty, he threw it against the back corner, where the shattered remnants joined a growing pile of broken glass on the floor. 

He rested his head in one hand, and for a moment Jake wondered if he even knew they were there. Then he spoke, without looking at them. "What the fuck do you want?"   
  
There was something odd about this response, something that seemed off. Then, Jake realized it; this was the first time he'd heard the Overseer swear, and it felt very similar to the first time he'd heard Amata swear not long ago. It had even been the same word. 

"To talk," Gomez said, before Jake could get any word out. He decided to just let the officer do the talking.

"Get out, Gomez," the Overseer snapped lokking at him with reddish eyes. Had that been from the alcohol, or crying? Best bet was the alcohol, but Jake couldn't help but wonder.

"Not until you listen to us," Gomez was saying. 

"I said GET OUT!"   
  
He grabbed another unopened whiskey bottle and threw it at the wall next to them, where it shattered. Jake felt whiskey spray on his leg. 

They both left rather quickly after Gomez 'strongly advised' the Overseer to call them when he was sober. They walked silently back to the lower level. Jake was sickened at the thought, but he couldn't help but wonder if the Overseer's whiskey habit could be an advantage. It wasn't exactly honorable to exploit something like that, but he felt a little better knowing that Amata understood how important for him to listen. 

James was waiting for them in the diner when they returned. Gomez just shook his head, and the two left Jake alone to discuss their next move. As they exited the room, Jake heard rapid footsteps coming down the hall, and briefly saw Amata's blurry form in the window before she rushed in and practically jumped on him. 

"Whoa," was all he could say before Amata fiercely pressed her lips against his, clinging to his jumpsuit and pinning him against the wall. As he recovered from the shock, he returned her embrace, every fear and worry disappearing as they held each other. 

"Amata," he murmured after what seemed like forever. "We've got work to do."   
  
Amata gave a small groan before releasing him. "So how did it go?" she asked in a rather anxious voice.   
  
"Well, he was drunk."   
  
Amata gave him a confused look. "Drunk? I've never seen my father drink before."   
  
"There were over ten whiskey bottles on the floor," he told her. "And there were even more in the corner, shattered. And he cursed. He actually cursed."   
  
Amata shook her head. "That's not like him at all."  
  
"I know, so maybe it says something about his current state of mind." 

Amata paused for a moment. "You think he's had a change of heart?"  
  
Jake shook his head. "I don't think it's going to be quite that easy, but it's worth taking note of. I just hope we can end this without violence."

Amata bit her lip. "Jake, don't hesitate to do whatever you have to do, even if it means my father gets hurt. I...I won't hold it against you."

He looked up at her. "You'd forgive me? Just like that?"

"I uh...did some thinking while you were up there," Amata explained. "I can't let my personal feelings get in the way here. If I'm going to be Overseer when this is all over, then I have to show I'm capable of putting the Vault before my dad."

Jake suddenly relaxed. "Okay. I just don't want to do anything to hurt you."

She smiled, and put her arms around his waist. "If I thought you could hurt me, I'd be on top instead of you."

The comment sent a tingling sensation through Jake's body, and Amata gently took hold of his arms to place them on her waist, her own hands cupping his face as they began kissing fiercely. Before Jake knew it, Amata's hands were going to his jumpsuit zipper.

"Wait," he said abruptly as they broke apart. Amata looked worried. "We're out in the open."

Amata quickly looked around. "Oh. Sorry, I guess I got a bit carried away."

"You can say that again," said an amused voice. They both looked to the source of the voice, who turned out to be Paul Hannon Jr.

"How long were you standing there?" Amata asked sharply.

Paul's eyes flicked upward for a moment. "About five seconds."

Paul was the most tolerable of Butch's Tunnel Snakes gang. Jake had never really liked him, but there had been a grudging respect for him. It was then that Jake noticed he wasn't wearing his Tunnel Snakes jacket.

"So what do you want?" Jake asked.

Paul stopped leaning on the doorframe and walked into the diner, taking a seat at a booth and motioning for Jake and Amata to do the same.

"Let's cut the bullshit and be honest with each other," Paul said as they sat down. "Overseer's never gonna let that door open. Not if he can help it. As long as security's on his side, he knows he'll call the shots."

"Your point?" said Jake.

"My point is that we should either load up and take out every asshole up there," Paul continued as Amata made a disgusted sound. "Or we split and open that door ourselves."

"Are you insane?" Amata said immediately. "We couldn't take on the entire security force even if we wanted to. We don't have the manpower or the ammo."

She shook her head and continued, "Besides, the whole point of this is to get him to step down. We're trying to end this peacefully."

"Amata, no offense, but your father is a vicious cunt," Paul told her. Amata winched. "He's not going to step down, and if he does, it'll be a-" he paused, as if searching for a word-"a ruse or something. He's gotta be put in his place."

"He'll be put on trial, Paul," Jake informed him. "You can bet your ass he won't call the shots again."

"Yeah, but neither will she," Paul jerked a thumb at Amata. "Security practically worships her father. They won't listen to a teenage girl. Bottom line, Morgan, are you with me?"

"No," Jake said immediately. "We turn to violence, and the Vault's never gonna be prepared for wherever's out there. We need some order if we want this place to survive."

Paul shook his head and left the booth. "Have it your way, Morgan. Guess you really are just a gutless wonder."

He stormed out of the room, leaving the two of them to themselves.

Asshole," Amata muttered, frowning as soon as he was out of earshot. 

Jake opened his mouth to respond when the door to the upper level opened and something rolled into the room, coming to a stop by the diner bar. Jake leaned over to get a better look when there was a pop and the room began to fill with smoke. 

"Run!" he whispered to Amata, following her as she slid out of the booth and rushed out of the room. He shut the door as he exited, and through the window and smoke he saw figures clad in security vests inside the diner. 

"Security's here!" Jake started shouting, running to the apartment block. In the distance, there was a hiss and running footsteps; the guards were right behind them. 

Heads poked out of doorways, then ducked back in as security guards charged in. 

"Grab those two!" someone shouted, and Jake barely had time to dwell on the order when both he and Amata were grabbed from behind and he felt cold metal handcuffs around his wrists.   
  
A Vault resident ran out from his apartment, a metal pipe in hand as he rushed at the guards holding Jake and Amata. He was only a few feet away when a security guard fired on the man. The resulting  _bang_ left Jake's ears ringing. The Vault dweller went down with a bullet wound in his head, and Jake felt blood splatter his face.

Two security officers moved past him, batons raised menacingly as they walked into apartments. The guards holding Jake and Amata marched them away as they heard yelling coming from behind them. 

Amata struggled in vain against the guard's grip, but the officer merely said in a growling voice, "Hold still, you little bitch!"   
  
Jake wanted nothing more than to sock the guard holding her in the face, but he was could do nothing except continue forward. The guard holding Amata quickened his pace, allowing them to briefly look at each other. 

"I won't let them hurt you," he told her. "You'll be okay, I promise!"   
  
Jake hoped he could keep that promise.

 


	6. Benefit of the Doubt

They were both separated, with Jake being marched into the security office. The guard holding him removed his handcuffs and shoved into the chair in the middle of the room, grabbing his arms and putting the handcuffs on. Jake didn't bother struggling; he knew damn well he was trapped. 

It was then that he finally saw the face of the guard who'd captured him, and he smiled. "Hello Stevie." 

"You should hold your tongue, boy!" Steve Mack hissed, a look of barely checked rage on his face. "When the Overseer gets here, I get to do whatever I fucking want to you, so you'd better not make me mad."   
  
"Forgot to have your morning wank, Stevie?" Jake taunted smugly, pausing only for a second to  wonder what country that term had come from. 

Steve lunged forward, and Jake braced for an attack, but the officer stopped just short of headbutting him. 

"You watch your mouth, you little piece of shit!" he snarled. "One more word, and your girlfriend's gonna watch me beat you bloody!" 

* * *

 The guard removed Amata's handcuffs and forced her into the chair opposite the Overseer's desk. The whiskey bottles had apparently been cleared away, and her father stared out of the tiny window with bloodshot eyes. 

"I try to guide you on the right path," he said quietly. "I try to make you understand what it takes to make the right decisions for this Vault, and you continue to throw it back in my face." 

Amata stared straight ahead, her expression blank.

"This is not the right decision," she replied calmly, still not meeting her father's eye. "We'll wither away and die if we stay down here." 

"And if you open that door, you'll expose these people to something far worse."

Amata shook her head. "Nobody believes that anymore. James told us what the outside is like. You can't trick us into staying down here." 

Her father's head swiveled in his direction, and there was venom in every next word. "Amata, listen to me very carefully. James Morgan is not one of us, and nor is his son. They are nothing more than filth. Mutations of every disease out there. Their type are not trustworthy."   
  
"How would you know?" Amata snapped. "You don't even leave your office, let alone go out and see what's out there!"   
  
Her father looked as if he'd been hit in the face, then his expression turned to one of cold rage. "The outside is full of nothing but pain and death. If there was a chance of anything out there, then why did James bring his son here?"   
  
"Well of course it's not easy!" Amata said in a frustrated tone. "But it's not impossible! James told me what it's like. He grew up in California and somehow made it across the country. If one person can do that, then I think we're capable of trading with the outside."   
  
"And what would we trade with?" her father asked, in that tone people have when they think they've got you. "What do we have that people out there could possibly have use for?"   
  
"Water," she said simply. "Clean water is a luxury out there, and we've got an endless supply of that. Will it be dangerous? Of course, but that's what it takes to survive. And if we do, how many lives will we make better? We get parts from the outside, and more people get drinkable water. There's no disadvantage." 

The Overseer returned his gaze to the window, staring out silently at the atrium. Amata remained in her seat, breathing slowly. She recognized the expression her father had; it was the expression of someone who was conflicted. 

"Well, I can see you've done a lot of thinking about this," he said reluctantly. Then he sighed. "For what it's worth, I'm impressed at how you've handled things, Amata. So here's what I'll do; you and Jake will both be released, and you can tell the others that they have my attention, and that I am willing to listen. But I need assurances that, until we reach an agreement, nobody on your end will try to open the door. If you truly want this to end peacefully, then I need to know that nobody will try to force their way out."  
  
"As long as we don't have another raid, then you have my word," Amata assured him, resisting the urge to leap into the air with joy. Instead, she merely smiled. 

Her father didn't smile, but he did give a small nod. "Good. Come with me, I'll have Jake released." 

* * *

 Steve gave a sick smile as the Overseer walked in, followed by Amata. "Shall I, sir?" 

Jake braced himself for a beating, but was suddenly confused to see that Amata was smiling. The Overseer gave a dismissive wave of his hand. 

"Stand down Mack. They're being released."   
  
Steve looked livid, but apparently knew better than to question the Overseer, for he reluctantly moved behind the chair and removed his handcuffs. Jake stood up, massaging his wrists. 

"I've told Amata that I will consider your request," the Overseer told him blankly. "As long as nobody tries to force their hand, then I'm willing to listen."   
  
To say he was surprised would be an understatement. He'd been prepared for the worst, but now it seemed that there was actually a chance of ending this peacefully. He nodded. 

"I understand." 

"Good, but before you go, I'd like to speak with you in private."

Amata frowned, but Jake gave her a reassuring smile. "I'll catch up." 

She nodded and reluctantly left the room, followed by Officer Mack at the Overseer's order. There was an uncomfortable silence until the Overseer spoke. 

"You love her?" he asked simply. 

"More than anyone," Jake said without hesitation. "She's the greatest thing that ever happened to me."   
  
"I believe you," the Overseer pulled a chair over and sat down, motioning for Jake to do the same. "I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. I confronted your father after the test results were read out. I'm not exactly proud of it, but I will admit that I lost my temper." 

He rubbed his temple in the way people do when there's a headache on the horizon. "He told me that Amata would be happier with you than with anyone else in the Vault." 

Jake looked at the ground awkwardly. "Well...I do try my best..."   
  
"Considering how she is now, I'm inclined to believe you," the Overseer told him. "I'll give you the honest truth Jake, this Vault will open one way or another, and I might not be there for Amata when it does. Whether she's out there, or in here as Overseer, she's going to need people. So do I have your word that you'll be there for her? That you'll do everything in your power to help her?"   
  
Jake answered without any hesitation. "I'd take a bullet for her. You have my word."  
  
The Overseer nodded, his expression unreadable. "Perhaps I should not have dismissed you and your father the way I did. You may go." 

Jake made to leave, then heard the Overseer call him back. He turned around to see that he was holding out Jake's gun, still in its holster. He'd completely forgotten. Wordlessly, he nodded and took it. 

* * *

 What was that about?" Amata asked, standing just outside the Administration section. 

"Friendly chat," he replied, cupping Amata's face in his hands and kissing her. When the broke apart, Amata rested her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist.   
  
"It's been a good day," she whispered. Despite the raid, they'd made more progress than they'd thought they would in a day.   
  
"It's only noon," Jake reminded her, grinning. "Plenty of time to fill." 

"I've got some ideas," she said, giving him a suggestive smile. 

* * *

 An hour or two later, she collapsed beside him, panting and smiling back at him. She rolled onto her side, and he brushed a loose strand of hair out of her face before she pressed her lips against his in a fierce kiss. They broke apart only to breath, and she took the opportunity to prop herself up by the elbow and slide on top of him, letting out a moan as she felt his hands on her. 

When they were finished they lay in each other's arms peacefully.

"I wonder if we'll ever have a bad day," Jake remarked. 

"I certainly won't," she replied, grinning. "As long as you're with me, every day'll be a good day."  
  
_Jesus,_ she thought.  _What are you, a hopeless romantic?  
_

Hopeless romantic or not, she was having the best time of her life. 

* * *

 Jake wasn't there when she woke up the next morning. Instead, he'd left a note on the bed. 

_Had to go into the clinic today. Sorry I couldn't be there this morning. Looking forward to another wild night._

_-Jake_

She smiled and rolled onto her back. It was only 6:30, and she didn't feel like getting up just yet. Resting her head on a pillow, she slid her hand underneath the bed covers and slid a finger into herself. It wasn't nearly as good as having Jake inside of her, not by a long shot. But it would do.

She imagined lying there with Jake above her, her legs wrapped around his waist as he thrust into her. The thought, combined with the finger that she slid in and out of herself, made her let out a moan. 

 She tried for a little longer, but decided to just get up when she realized she wasn't in the mood for it. Feeling frustrated at her inability to pleasure herself, she slipped on fresh underwear and her jumpsuit from the previous day. As she pulled up the zipper, she suddenly became aware of a sharp ache near her left ear. She brought a hand up to the spot, and gently rubbed it. It wasn't necessarily painful, just annoying. She sighed and forced herself out the door; Jake or James would know the problem.

"Good morning," Jake said in a cheerful voice, smiling at her when she walked in. "You're up early."   
  
She shrugged. "Couldn't get back to sleep. My ear's aching."  
  
Jake gave a small frown. "Really? Alright, step over here and I'll take a look at it."

Jake guided her to a corner of the clinic with a medical bed. He pulled the curtain over them as she sat down and indicated the aching ear.   
  
"Alright, let me see," he said, leaning over to shine a flashlight into the ear. "I see the problem. You've got a massive buildup of wax."   
  
"Wax?" Amata frowned. "But I cleaned them just a few days ago."   
  
"Some people build up wax more quickly than others," Jake explained, placing the flashlight back on the table of instruments. "And sometimes water can cause the wax to swell up. It's a common mistake people make in the shower. Hold on, I'll be right back." 

He left, coming back a moment later with a glass of warm water and a small bottle of the ear drops she'd been using for years.   
  
"I'll give you a few drops in each in," he told her. "That'll loosen up the wax. Then I'll syringe it out with warm water."   
  
"Didn't you just say water makes it swell up?"  
  
"Cold water does," he explained. "Warm water won't, though. Should make it easier to get rid of any excess wax. Okay, tilt your head." 

She complied and tilted her head as he let a few drops fall into each ear. There was a weird sensation in both ears, and a sound that reminded her a little of static. While the drops did their work, Jake filled a syringe with warm water from the glass, and held a small cup in one hand as he pumped the water into each ear. Most of it ran down her jumpsuit, which was waterproof anyway, but a little bit of it went down the inside of her collar onto the bare skin beneath.   
  
Jake set the cup and syringe down on the table, and Amata saw that the former contained a sizable clump of brown wax. She wrinkled her nose. "Gross." 

"Ha, you get used to it when you do it on a daily basis," Jake replied, grinning. "Alright, take those drops I've been giving you, but take them twice a day in the morning and in the evening. If you have any more trouble with either ear, it could be an infection."  
  
Amata shuddered. Her ears and eyes were the two body parts she was most sensitive about. When she and Jake where thirteen, they'd gotten their hands on holotapes of old horror movies, and played them on their Pip-boy's, the wrist-mounted computers that every working Vault member had. Whenever a character got their ears or eyes hurt (and boy, those movies didn't hide anything) she'd screamed and shut her eyes tight. 

She looked back at Jake, who was barely able to avoid laughing; apparently he was remembering her reaction as well. 

"Okay, you should be set," he finally said, barely keeping the amusement out of his voice. "Anything else you need?"   
  
"A quick kiss would be nice," she said coyly. Jake complied, and smiled as he saw her off. 

* * *

"God, you two are gross," a voice said. Jake snapped out of the daze he'd been in while watching Amata leave, and realized that Butch had been watching them say goodbye. "Do us all a favor and try to avoid banging in the corridor."   
  
"Something you need, Butch?" Jake asked, his tone suddenly turning icy. He couldn't look at his old rival without wanting to sock him for what he'd done to Christine.   
  
"Word is, you're gonna try and suck up to the Overseer," Butch replied, his tone just as unfriendly. "I always knew you didn't have an ounce of manhood, Morgan. I'm surprised Amata hasn't left you for someone who can give her a real good time."   
  
"First of all," Jake raised his voice, his temper flaring. "Don't talk about my wife like that. Secondly, do you even know what an ounce is? Probably not. And thirdly, If I actually wanted to suck up to the Overseer, this would be the last place I'd be. I just want this to end without violence. But you wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"  
  
Butch snorted. "Just gotta wonder, nerd. Gotta be a reason that he's letting you fuck his daughter."  
  
"Unless you have a medical issue," Jake growled. "get the fuck out of here, now."   
  
Butch gave him the finger, before stalking out of the room. 

"Prick," Jake muttered, remembering all the times him and his dumb gang had hassled Amata. If Butch gave her any shit now, then Jake would sock the guy without a second thought. He'd always understood that you couldn't always depend on others to solve your problems, and when it came to Amata, his best friend and now wife, he sure as hell wasn't gonna cry for someone else to do what had to be done.

* * *

 "Something's wrong," said Stanley, frowning at the terminal screen. "I can't lock down the doors."   
  
"Why not?" James asked, years of living in the Wasteland making him tense. "What's wrong?"   
  
"They've locked me out," Stanley said in a frustrated tone. "Fuck, they've got control of everything!"   
  
James reached behind himself to shut the door to the computer room; he didn't want anyone hearing things and getting panicky. 

"Did the Overseer do this?" he asked Stanley, feeling anger bubbling inside of him at the idea of getting screwed over. 

Stanley shook his head. "No, this didn't come from an admin terminal. It came from the security office, and they've managed to bypass the Overseer's safeguards."   
  
"You mean someone's going behind the Overseer's back?"   
  
"Either that, or the Overseer just doesn't want us to know he's screwing with us," said Stanley, grimacing. "let's hope it's just one guy and not the entire security force."   
  
James couldn't disagree there. The security force was the muscle of the Vault, and the only reason Alphonse could get away with whatever he wanted was because the guards turned a blind eye. If they all went behind his back...

 There was a hiss behind him, and James was beginning to turn around when he felt a security baton hit him across the face. He went down to the floor, his face stinging as he vaguely registered the shouts of Stanley and the security guards that had rushed them. Now that the door was open, James could hear faint shouting.   
  
"Get up!" a security guard yelled, pulling him to his feet and cuffing his hands behind his back. 

He was marched into the clinic with the other hostages and shoved roughly to his knees. And that was when he heard his son's voice.

"What the hell?!" he was saying in an outraged tone at Officer Wolfe, who had grabbed him by his jumpsuit's collar. "You were meant to lay off!"   
  
"Shut up, brat," Wolfe growled, bringing his fist back and slamming it into Jake's face. James felt a rush of anger as Jake fell backwards onto the clinic floor, groaning and bringing a hand up to his bruised forehead.   
  
Another guard, Officer Mack, came into the room with a handcuffed Amata, who looked just as outraged. "Where's my father? Why's he doing this?!"

"Your father isn't calling the shots anymore, bitch," Mack said nastily, shoving her to the ground next to Jake. Amata looked at Mack and said in a low, dangerous voice, "If you've hurt him, I swear to God I'll-"   
  
Her  sentence was finished by a yelp as Mack brought his baton across her face.   
  
"You son of a bitch!" Jake yelled at him, a look of pure hatred upon his face. "If you lay a finger on her again, you'll lose that finger!"   
  
"Shut up," Mack said before to face the group of hostages. "You've all placed this Vault in a great deal of danger, and our current Overseer is unwilling to do what must be done to keep our home safe, so let me show you all what happens to traitors from here on out." 

He turned in James' direction, and James stared him down; he wouldn't give Mack the satisfaction of hearing him beg. But to his surprise, Mack ignored him as he drew his pistol, aiming it at the person next to James; Christine's mother, Mary. 

The  _bang_ that followed caused James' ears to ring, so he didn't hear Christine's agonized sobs. But he saw her crying, and he felt the splatter of what could only be blood on his side. 

In that moment, three more men dressed in the blue and black security uniforms appeared in the doorway. But instead of joining in, they drew their weapons and opened fire on the rogue officers. In seconds, Officers Mack, Wolfe, and O'Brian had fallen to the ground, and Officers Gomez, Kendall, Richards and Park made their way into the room.

Kendall froze as he looked to James' left and saw his wife's body. He looked around desperately, and when he eyes rested on Christine, he dropped his gun, threw off his helmet, and crouched down to pull his daughter into a hug.   
  
The ringing in James' ears finally subsided, and he managed a thank you as Gomez stepped around him to remove the handcuffs. 

* * *

 The moment the handcuffs were off, Jake pulled Amata into a hug, the relief washing over them as Amata sobbed into Jake's shoulder. 

"He-he shot her!" Amata stammered. "He just shot her! For no reason!"   
  
"Shh," Jake whispered, shaking uncontrollably. "It's okay. We're safe."  
  
That was bullshit. It wasn't okay; Christine had just lost her mother, and 'safe' was the exact opposite of what they were. But he had to say something. 

"You guys okay?" Gomez came over to them, and they both slowly nodded.

"As good as can be expected," Amata murmured, still clinging to me.  
  
Gomez gave a solemn nod as Richards and Park finished freeing the rest of the hostages. Loved ones rushed across the room to meet each other, while a few went to help Officer Kendall move his wife's body out of the room. It was then that Amata left Jake's arms and made her way over to a still-sobbing Christine. Amata knelt down to Christine's level, extending her arms out. Christine gratefully climbed up into her embrace. 

* * *

"I'm so sorry," was all Amata could say to Christine, as well as hold onto her for as long as she needed. As she let Christine rest her head on her chest, Amata's ears picked up Jake's conversation with Gomez.

"Overseer's holed up in the office with everyone who's still loyal to him," Gomez was saying. "I'll tell you, Jake, he might actually come around."   
  
Amata's heart skipped a beat. Now it was more than just hope. There really was a chance of ending this without violence. 

Mostly without violence, she corrected herself silently as she glanced down at Christine's grief-stricken form in her arms. 

"What about the rest of the officers?" she heard Jake ask. 

"Officers Taylor and Wilkins are guarding the Vault door. They're ready to open it at a moment's notice."   
  
"Today?" Jake asked, sounding as uncertain as Amata felt. "Are you sure we're ready for that?"   
  
"We're _definitely_ not ready for that," said Gomez. "Opening the door today is a last resort. We'll probably spend a few days getting things back to normal, while the Overseer-" 

He stopped suddenly, and Amata had a feeling that he'd just given her a cursory glance. 

"Will she?" Gomez asked Jake, lowering his voice. Amata had to strain her ears to hear the conversation. 

"I think she feels like she has to," Jake said quietly. "I've told her she doesn't have to, but her father's been pushing it on her for God knows how long. Don't worry though. She's smart. I know she'll do well."  
  
Amata couldn't help but smile, grateful at Jake's confidence in her. Jake continued, "And she's good to everyone down here. She knows how to make people feel safe. That's something we'll need when we open that door."   
  
"You sound proud of her."   
  
"Damn right I am," Jake said with conviction. "I still feel like the luckiest bastard in the world for just being able to know her. Being able to be  _with_ her is just..." 

He trailed off, and Amata glanced his way. He was blushing, which was something he rarely did. Gomez looked on the brink of laughter. 

"Jesus kid, you're hopeless," he said, barely keeping his voice steady and unable to keep the grin off his face. 

Amata was about to turn away when Jake looked past Gomez, straight at her. Seeing Christine in her arms, he gave her a sad, but proud smile. 

* * *

 Jake helped Gomez and Kendall move Mary's body into an empty apartment. They promised him that they wouldn't send her into the incinerator, even though it was always the way of thing in the Vault. Kendall thanked them, but the look he had on his face as he stared at his wife's body was one of pure agony. Gomez gave him a comforting pat on the shoulder before they left him to his thoughts. 

As they walked down the corridor, a thought came to Jake that made him feel extremely guilty. "I don't even know Officer Kendall's first name."   
  
Maybe he should have asked, but the security guards had always seemed rather intimidating, and Jake had never felt like it was his business to be on a first-name basis with them, even if Kendall was one of the few likable officers. 

"It's John," Gomez told him. "Don't feel guilty. I was exactly the same way until I became an officer. It's kinda part of our job to look like tough guys."   
  
The words made Jake feel a little less guilty, but an uncomfortable silence followed. "So what happens now?"   
  
"A few of the rogue officers still have the atrium locked down," Gomez explained, and the tension seemed to disappear. "Overseer's still holed up in the Officer with the few officers that are still loyal to him. There's only five or so of them, and the rest of us are armed, so taking control of the place won't be hard."   
  
Jake nodded, but felt a squirming sensation in his gut at the idea of another shootout; more killing wasn't going to do them any good. 

Gomez, apparently sensing his apprehension, placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Jake. They'll probably back off when they realize they're outnumbered."   
  
He nodded again, but couldn't help but make note of 'probably'. 

* * *

 Amata laid Christine down on a couch in the common room, taking a blanket from he cupboard and placing it over over. Christine mumbled a 'thanks' and she gave Amata one last exhausted look before drifting off to sleep.

Amata suddenly felt horrible, wishing that she'd been better to Christine when they were kids. She remembered how Christine had always been a bit of a loner thanks to that 'Mean Christine' nickname people had given her. Amata was ashamed that she'd taken part in it; it had seemed like harmless fun at the time, but now she felt stupid for not realized how hurt Christine must have been by it. 

And she was even worse now, Amata realized as she remembered the kiss they'd had a lifetime ago. Had that simply been a heat of the moment thing, or had there been more to it? Christine had felt nothing but pain for the last few months, and Amata wished there was something more she could do. 

 _Well, there is one thing,_ she thought, then shook her head. It wasn't appropriate. Maybe if she wasn't with Jake, but that wasn't the case. And as far as she knew, there weren't any other girls in the Vault like Christine. Amata felt sick to think about how Christine must have been feeling. 

She turned to leave, hoping that nobody would come and bother Christine, when the door opened with a hiss, and Amata was face-to-face with Susie Mack. Suddenly, the air felt tense; Susie's brother was Steve Mack, the man who had murdered Christine's mother. Susie looked guiltily at Christine's sleeping form, and opened her mouth to speak. 

"No," Amata whispered. "Not here."   
  
Susie nodded, allowing Amata to lead her around the corner into an empty apartment. The minute the door closed and the room became soundproof, Susie spoke. "How is she?"   
  
"Not good," Amata told her, grimacing. "Her mother's dead."   
  
"Should I stay away?" Susie asked. 

The question threw Amata off, and it took her a few moments to work out an answer. "I don't know. As far as I know, she doesn't blame you for anything, but you might want to just give her space for a while."   
  
Susie nodded, and then a thought came to Amata. "What about Wally and your dad?"

Susie looked a little surprised, then she rolled her eyes. "Idiots are upstairs guarding the atrium. No idea which genius gave the idea to give Wally a gun, and I know my dad spends most of his time kissing the Overseer's ass-" 

She stopped suddenly, her eyes wide. "Sorry, Amata. I didn't mean it like that."   
  
"It's okay, " Amata told her, shaking her head. "I know my dad's done a lot of bad stuff. I just hope he's coming around."   
  
There was a silence that seemed to stretch on forever, and Amata desperately thought of something to say. "So how are you and Freddie?"  
  
Susie looked surprised. "We're...good, all things considered. It was a bit awkward at first, but Freddie's a good guy. We're trying to make it work."   
  
Amata nodded, glad that she hadn't been the only lucky one. "I'll probably be Overseer when this is all over, and that means I'll be the one opening the Vault. It won't be too long before we bring people in, and things won't have to be like this."   
  
Susie nodded gratefully. "You'll make a great Overseer, Amata."   
  
"A lot of people say that," Amata tried to keep the uncertain tone out of her, and failed completely.   
  
Susie noticed how scared she sounded, and guided her over to the old couch. It sagged a little under their weight. 

"It's true," Susie said softly. "You don't have to be scared Amata. Everyone here has faith in you."  
  
"That's what makes me scared," Amata murmured, lacking the strength to lie. "I can't stop thinking of all the ways I could let people down." 

Susie scoffed. "Amata, you're so much stronger than you realize. And besides, people here know you're young. You've got people here ready to support you. Jake, your dad if he comes around, the others down here, and well... me as well."

She sighed. "Everything that's happened, it's made me realize how dumb I've been all these years. I shouldn't have been such an ass to you when we were growing up. I guess I just got so used to getting it from my dad and brothers that I forced it on you guys. I just..." she stopped for a moment, looking frustrated before finding the right words. "Is it too late to be your friend?"  
  
Amata was slightly taken aback; this was a side of Susie Mack that she'd never seen. When she finally registered the question, she shook her head. "No. That's fine."  
  
Susie gave a relieved smile. She began to move closer on the couch, extending her arms out, then hesitated, looking at Amata for an answer to an unspoken question. When Amata understood, she nodded and moved in closer to hug Susie tightly. It made her feel rather light-headed; they'd been more or less enemies ever since they knew each other, and now they were hugging. 

And the day wasn't even done. 

* * *

 "We can't wait anymore," the Overseer's voice crackled through the speaker. "Hannon and the other officers aren't backing down. We'll use the escape tunnel from my office to meet up with Wilkins and Taylor, and you guys will surround them. We'll just have to hope Hannon's group realizes they can't win. We can't afford to lose anymore officers."   
  
Gomez looked as if he wanted to press the issue further, but he sighed and said in a heavy, reluctant voice, "Understood sir. I'll let the other know."  
  
"Good," the Overseer replied, then Jake heard him clear his throat. "Is James' son there? I need to speak to him alone."   
  
Gomez complied and left the diner, shutting the door behind him. Jake spoke up. "We're alone, sir."   
  
There was a short silence before the Overseer replied and when he did, his voice was strained. "I've made so many mistakes. I was so certain that I was doing the right thing that I never stopped to consider if I'd made a mistake. It was so foolish of me, thinking I wasn't as capable of fucking it all up as anyone else. I won't be able to look these people in the eye again."   
  
The confession, and the obvious pain in the man's voice made Jake pause; he'd never heard or seen the Overseer open up like this, and even though he hadn't gone as far as thinking the man  _didn't_ feel anything, Jake never thought he'd ever see or hear him show those hidden feelings. 

"It's not too late to make this right," he finally said. "Step down, and let this end peacefully."   
  
"Oh, I will step down," the Overseer admitted. "But that won't end this peacefully. I doubt anything will at this point. Security Chief Hannon is a vicious animal, as are those supporting him."   
  
He added in a bitter tone, "The people who have weapons because of me."  
  
"What's done is done, sir," Jake told him. "But you can still do the right thing. You can still make the Vault a better place for your daughter and the rest of the people down here." 

The Overseer's sigh came through the static. "Perhaps you're right. I've done so much damage, there won't be any mercy for me when this is over, but perhaps I'll die knowing I did something good for the Vault."   
  
It took a moment for Jake to understand what he was saying, and despite the fact that the Overseer couldn't see him, he shook his head. "I won't let that happen sir. You'll be given a fair trial."   
  
"As much as I think Amata would do that," the Overseer replied in a resigned voice. "Someone will probably try to shoot me before that happens."  
  
"I won't let that happen," Jake repeated firmly. "I'll make sure nobody lays a finger on you." 

There was a silence, and Jake wondered if the Overseer was as surprised as he was at his own words. "You'd do that?" he finally said. "You wouldn't make any friends that way."   
  
Jake sighed. "You have my word."   
  
And he intended to keep his word. 

* * *

Gomez, Park and Richards were positioned at the top of the staircase leading from the diner into the atrium, their guns drawn. Gomez turned to Jake, who was waiting at the bottom of the steps, and said, "Remember, don't come up here until Richards gives you the all-clear, and don't let anyone else up until it's safe."   
  
Jake felt a bit irritated at being told this for what seemed like the tenth time, but nodded. "Got it. Stay safe out there."   
  
"You too," Gomez replied. "If we don't come back, seal this door."  
  
Without waiting for a reply, Gomez opened the atrium door and the three officers raised their guns and disappeared into the atrium. A moment later, the shouting started.

"Drop your weapon, Mack!" Gomez shouted, confusing Jake.

"Put the gun down!" someone else ordered. 

"You first!" 

"DROP IT NOW!"   
  
"Like hell!"   
  
Someone opened fire, and there was a barrage of 10mm fire and a few screams of pain, before the silence returned. 

"Hostiles down!" Gomez called out. "Where's the Overseer?"  
  
"Right here," Jake recognized the Overseers tired voice. Richards returned and signaled that it was safe, and Jake rushed up the stairs into the carnage. There was a body in the middle of the room, dressed in Vault security armor riddled with bullet holes. Jake walked over, his legs feeling like lead, and stared down at the man's face. Staring up at the ceiling with glassy eyes was the father of the late Steve Mack, Allen. He'd always been a bit on edge, and Jake wasn't all that surprised that he hadn't surrendered. 

As the rest of the rogue officers were handcuffed and taken away, Jake noticed the Overseer staring at him. But when he glanced his way, Jake noticed that he was staring past him over his shoulder. Jake turned around and saw Amata standing just outside of the atrium, gaping at Allen Mack's body. Then, her eyes reached the two of them and the fact that her father wasn't in handcuffs must have told her all she needed to know.

"Dad!" she exclaimed, drawing everyone's attention as she ran at them, almost tackling her father in a hug. 

"I'm so sorry," the Overseer whispered in a strangled voice. "For not being there when you needed me. I'm just sorry."   
  
"It's okay," Amata whispered back. "You're here now." 

After a long moment, Amata let go of her father and turned to Jake, only saying, "Thank you" before throwing her arms around him and kissing him. Jake held onto her tight, wanting to savor every second of the moment. When she finally let him go, she was breathless. "We did it. It's over!"   
  
"We sure did," Jake agreed, practically laughing. The Overseer was waiting patiently for them to finish, and Jake noticed the piece of paper he was unfolding. 

"I've already written up the notice," he told his daughter. "Just sign it, and you'll be Overseer." 

Amata nodded. "All right, let's get this finished."   
  
There wasn't any fanfare when Amata signed the document that officially made her the Overseer of Vault 101, but there was fanfare when they returned to the diner. Alphonse, the former Overseer, hesitated outside the diner, but Amata just smiled and assured him that it would all be fine. The small crowd that had assembled in the diner didn't pay him any attention, focusing on congratulating Amata. The celebration was unlike anything Jake had seen; for once, people seemed excited for the future. 

Amata excused herself, smiling humbly at a final round of applause before leaving the room. Jake followed her out, concerned that something might be bothering her. 

But when she turned around outside the diner to face him, there wasn't a single worry to be found. Instead, she just smiled and slowly wrapped her arms around him, gently kissing him as she did so. 

"Stop being so perfect," she murmured, getting a laugh out of Jake. She took a step back. "What should we do now?"   
  
Jake paused for a moment; he hadn't thought that far ahead. Before he could think of anything, Amata said, "I know. Follow me."   
  
Jake followed, unsure of where they were headed. When they briefly passed through the atrium, he realized where she was leading him and he stopped dead. "Wait."   
  
Amata looked back, confused, but gave a reassuring smile. "C'mon, it'll be fine."  
  
Jake didn't ask how she knew that, but followed nonetheless, his heart pounding as Amata pulled a level on the Vault door's control panel. A memory came back to them in which they had both been crying on the floor, believing that death itself was waiting outside.   
  
The emergency lights bathed the room in yellow as the alarm sounded. The machine that was suspended above the cog-shaped door descended. It stopped just short of the door, a metal tube-shaped object extending forward. It buried itself partially in the Vault door, which suddenly slid back with a horrible grinding sound of metal on metal, and the machine moved backward to allow the door to slide on treads to the right side of the room. 

Jake stared out of the door at his first glimpse of the outside world, frozen by the absolute unfamiliarity of it. He tore his eyes away and saw Amata holding her hand out to him. 

"Trust me?" was all she said. After a long moment of hesitation, he took her hand in his and they walked out of the Vault. 

There was a low metal platform built in front of the Vault door, and what was lying on it made Jake cringe; skeletons. The bones had turned a dark brown color, and the most intact part of them was a head connected to a spine and ribcage. One of the more intact ones was clutching a crudely made cardboard sign that read:  _Let us in, motherfuckers!_

"God," Amata groaned. "They must have come here when the bombs fell."   
  
They continued in silence, stepping off of the platform and onto the dirt floor of the long cave before them. The ground seemed to shift slightly with each step, and Jake had to breath hard not to panic, expected the ground to fall away and swallow them up. 

Then they were at the end, and a light shone through an old rickety wooden door that hurt his eyes. He distracted himself by tracing a finger down the rocky surface of the cave wall, waiting for his eyes to adjust. When the light became bearable, he turned back to Amata. 

"Ready?" he whispered. Amata nodded, looking afraid. With their hands held tight, Jake reached out and turned the knob on the door before pushing it open and stepped forward. 

"Gah!" 

They both fell to their knees as as the most blinding light Jake had ever seen invaded them. He felt exposed, vulnerable as he became aware of the lack of walls around him. 

"Just give it a minute," Amata said, clutching his hand in what felt like (to Jake anyway) a death grip.   
  
After what seemed like an eternity, Jake slowly opened his eyes as the light subsided, and he took in the world that stretched before them. The pictures his paranoid mind had conjured up of a grey deserted with a radioactive green sky was banished, and the sight before him was almost beautiful in comparison. 

The sky wasn't green, for one thing. The sun wasn't covered by radiation, it was the source of light that had almost blinded him. The soil wasn't a dead grey. Instead, a sea of brown stretched before them, descending into small valleys or sloping up into hills. Trees, or what was left of them, dotted the landscape, having been reduced to little more than scorched black trunks. 

Convincing himself that the endless sky wouldn't swallow him up, Jake slowly walked forward to the edge of the short cliff marked by an old navy blue sign marked with the words 'scenic overlook'. Peering over the edge, he saw the cracked remnants of a pre-war road curving to avoid the cliff, running into the old, mostly ruined town a short distance away. He looked back up and surveyed the horizon. He could see the remaining portions of highways, old steel and concrete buildings (one of which was topped by a partially caved-in dome) and a tall obelisk structure in the distance; Washington D.C.

And it didn't even end there. Closer in the distance, separated from them by a rocky cliff-covered surface, was an uneven wall of what looked like pieces of junk metal. It ran around in an oval shape, or so it seemed. 

He racked his brain for a word to describe it all, taking in the sensation of a light breeze on his skin and the sight of the sun, which was just beginning to set and cast an afternoon glow over the wasteland, but there was no word to describe what surrounded them. Finally, after taking in every detail he could, he turned around; Amata was looking down at the slope that lead to the road, and when she saw him looking at her, he shook his head. 

"We shouldn't go far," he told her. "Let's...get back in side, before they wonder where we've gone."   
  
Amata nodded, and they turned and headed back into the Vault. As the cog door shut them in again, Officer Wilkins came running. 

"Overseer, we've got a situation in the diner," he told Amata, who looked confused, then horrified. 

* * *

 The three of them ran back down to the diner, where a crowd was forming as security guards shouted for them to get back. The scene inside made Amata's blood run cold. 

Paul Hannon had gotten his hands on a weapon, and now had his free arm holding her father by the neck.

In a flash, Jake had drawn his gun and turned his safety off. "Let him go, Paul!"  
  
"Like hell I will!" Paul shouted back, pressing the barrel of the 10mm pistol into the former Overseer's neck. "All this shit is one this guy's head. He's gotta pay!"   
  
"There's going to be a trial, Paul!" Amata reason, pushing her fear to the side. "A lot of things are going to happen. Don't ruin the one good thing that's happened today!"   
  
"A trial?" Paul shouted indignantly. "Do I look stupid to you? You'll just sway the outcome. It's what this bastard's done before, and anyone who thinks you'll be any different is out of their mind!"   
  
The direct insult cut deep like a knife wound, but Amata pushed the hurt feelings aside. "That's not how it's going to be. I couldn't get away with that if I tried."   
  
"Listen to her, Paul," Jake reasoned. "There's still a way back from this. Just let him go and we can move past all of this!"   
  
Paul shook his head, anger in his eyes as he pressed the barrel of his gun deeper, his fingers on the trigger.

"Paul if you do this," Amata warned. "there is no going back! Kill him, and these officers will shoot you!" 

A glimmer of doubt appeared in Paul's eyes as he looked between her, Jake, and the officers behind them. 

"Just put the gun down, Paul, and I swear, I will let this go," Amata offered. 

Paul's gaze dropped to the floor, and he began to ease his grip on her father...

But then his eyes shot back up at her, and Amata saw nothing but hatred. "I can't let this animal live."   
  
Paul's finger went to the trigger, and Amata was about to shout an order to the officers when a single gunshot echoed around the room. Her father staggered against a table, feeling around for a bullet wound that didn't exist. Paul collapsed without a sound, lying still with a small hole in his forehead.

She turned to thank (and maybe scold) the officer who had fired, but they were all looking around, just as confused  as she was. Then she looked to her side, and saw Jake flick the safety of his gun back on and place it gently down on the table. 

And then he started shaking. He staggered against the old jukebox by the wall, breathing heavily. Amata, just as shocked as he looked, didn't know whether he wanted her to say anything not, and could only give him a remorseful look. He nodded gratefully and pushed himself off of the wall, and Amata allowed him to cling to her as they slowly pushed through the stunned, silent crowd. 

"Return all weapons to the armory," she told Gomez, adding, "Nobody, not even the guards, are to carry guns."   
  
After all that had happened today, she had to give people time to cool off. 

Gomez looked hesitant, but nodded and followed the order as Amata guided Jake to their apartment. It was then that she realized she'd be moving back into her old quarters across from her father's office. No,  _her_ office. 

She took one look at the place after lowered Jake onto the couch, wondering if this was the last time she'd see the place. It had actually grown on her since they moved in, not just because of how luxurious the place was, but because of all the good memories it held. 

"Amata," Jake whispered, bringing her back to reality.

"Are-are you okay?" she asked him, her voice shaking now that they were alone. 

"I think so," he said in a dull voice. He wasn't crying, but he was pale and his eyes were blank, confused and uncertain.   
  
"You saved him," Amata whispered, stroking his hair. "My father's alive thanks to you."   
  
"And Paul's dead," Jake said bitterly, the confusing leaving his eyes as he said it. "I shot him."   
  
"You didn't have to save him," Amata told him. "Nobody made you shoot Paul. So why'd you save him? For me?"   
  
"That was...part of it," Jake admitted. "But not all of it. We...talked. Before Gomez and the others went up. He figured a mob was gonna come after him. I gave him my word that wouldn't let that happen."   
  
Amata was silent except for softly saying "Oh". She had been glad that Jake would do his best not to get her father hurt, but the fact that he had personally given him his word meant a lot. "Thank you Jake."   
  
"I just..." he looked absolutely torn, and Amata hated knowing how he must have felt. "After what happened, I don't know if I'm gonna be right. I don't wanna push that shit on you."   
  
Amata wanted to find the words to soothe his worries, and found none. Instead, she began to stroke his cheek, hanging onto his hand as she did so. 

"Amata, I just don't know if I can be who you deserve," Jake said in a flat tone filled with despair, and Amata sighed.

"Maybe," she said, even though she was humoring him. "Maybe I don't deserve you, but I want you. There's nobody else I want to come home to after a stressful day. Nobody else I want to share a bed with. I've grown up knowing- no, loving you Jake. The thought of what might have been, if you'd never have been brought here, I don't want to think about it. It's unbearable thinking about life down here without-"  
  
The apartment buzzer went off, and Amata wanted to scream in frustration at whoever had just interrupted their moment alone. She promised Jake she'd be back and moved over to the door, composing herself as it opened. 

"Armory's locked down, Overseer," Gomez reported, handing her a small holodisk. "This is the only overwrite code."   
  
Amata nodded. "Good. Let's hope things cool off after a few days."   
  
"I don't think we'll have to worry about that," Gomez assured her. "I think Paul Hannon was just an isolated case, so we probably won't have to worry about another revolt. There's just a matter of getting our security force back in order and-"

He stopped, looking past Amata's shoulder at Jake. "How is he?"  
  
"I don't know," Amata said truthfully, lowering her voice. "I mean, I sort of know. He doesn't think he's going to be right after what happened. I just don't know..."   
  
She sighed. "I ought to be stronger than this."   
  
Gomez shook his head and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You're still young, Amata, and a lot has happened today. Most people in that position would break down under the pressure. Give yourself a bit of time, and you'll be the best goddamned Overseer this Vault has ever had." 

Amata smiled gratefully. "Thanks. If there's nothing else, I should get back to Jake."   
  
Gomez nodded. "Alright. Don't worry, I think it's just a shock. He'll be better once it wears off. By the way, your father's clearing out his quarters. He says you're welcome to move in."   
  
Amata nodded one last time before reaching over to shut the door.   
  
"I heard all that," Jake called weakly, managing a smile. "Don't worry. I reckon Gomez's right. Give me a day or two, and we'll see how I am."

"Okay," she said softly. "Do you want me to get you anything?"  
  
Jake paused for a moment, then said, "There's some Nuka-Cola in the fridge. I doubt I could keep any food down right now."   
  
She nodded and took two cold bottles of Nuka-Cola from the fridge, opening them both before returning to Jake. 

"Thanks," he said, shifting on the couch so that she could sit down and draping an arm around her shoulders. "So it's over huh?"  
  
"Nope," Amata said grimly. "This is just the beginning. Maybe things will settle down in the Vault, but soon we'll have to deal with the outside world. That's more headaches than I want to think about."   
  
Jake nodded solemnly and let her rest her head on his shoulder. But then, in a lighter tone, she added, "But that's tomorrow, and this is today."  
  
"True." 

"And the best part about today?" Amata continued. "I have you all to myself."   
  
Before he could say anything, she pulled him forward so that she was lying underneath him with her hands around his waist. She briefly wondered if she was being insensitive by trying to arouse him, but the look of longing on his face made her feel confident that she was doing the right thing. When he leaned down to kiss her, the warmth that had been missing earlier returned. As their kisses became less innocent, Amata became aware that she was sweating and unzipped her jumpsuit. 

When she shifted uncomfortable on the small couch, Jake smiled and got to his feet before picking her up in both arms and carrying her to the bedroom. As he lay her down gentle and they kept going on the bed, it dawned on Amata that the worst of it was really over. They could have a normal, happy life in the Vault without fear of the outside. 

Because in that moment, the outside didn't seem all that scary.


End file.
